A  TRUE   RELATION   OF  VIRGINIA.     WRIT 

BY  ANAS  TODKILL,  PURITAN 

AND   PILGRIM 


With  Wholes  by 
JOHN   ESTEN   COOKE 


UNIVERSITY 


BOSTON 

HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  AND  COMPANY 
New  York:  11  East  Seventeenth  Street 


1885 


Copyright,  1885, 
BY  JOHN  ESTEN  COOKE. 

All  rights  reserved. 


The  Riverside  Press,  Cambridge  : 
Electrotyped  and  Printed  by  H.  O.  Houghton  &  Co. 


156 


PREFACE. 

ANAS  TOD  KILL  was  a  brave  and  trusty  sol-  preface, 
dier  of  the  first  Virginia  years :  adhered  to 
Smith  in  all  his  struggles  with  the  factions  at 
Jamestown :  took  part  in  the  fierce  combats 
with  the  Indians  on  the  York  and  Rappa- 
hannock:  and  his  name  is  signed  to  a  num 
ber  of  the  old  "relations  "  as  both  actor  and 
author. 

As  to  the  writer's  personality,  the  present 
MS.  leaves  nothing  in  doubt;  an^d  as  to  the 
credibility  of  his  historic  statements,  the  notes 
will  show  that  these  are  often  minutely  corrob 
orated  by  the  great  original  American  author 
ity,  the  t(Generall  Historie  of  Virginia,  New 
England,  and  the  Summer  Isles." 

Even  in  the  pages  which  relate  to  the  love 
romance  of  two  celebrated  personages,  —  to  the 
joys  and  sorrows,  the  passionate  longings  and 


iv  Preface. 

Preface.  regrets,  which  made  up  their  lives,  —  the 
worthy  "Puritan  and  Pilgrim"  seems  only 
to  give  the  details  of  events  and  incidents 
briefly  indicated  in  the  contemporary  chron 
icles. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

/.  Unworthy  Anas  Todkill,  Puritan,  Ms  Early  Years      .  i 
II.  I  talk  with  Captain  Smith  and  Master  Shakespeare  at 

the  Mermaid ^ 

///.  /  go  on  the  Virginia  Voyage,  and  what  followed  at 

Jamestown 16 

IV.  My  Captain  tells  how  an  Angel  saved  Him     ....  25 

V.  How  I  first  see  my  Lady  Pokahontas ^2 

VI.   The  Strange  Antics  of  Pokahontas 36 

VII.  Of  God's  Mercy  to  his  Unworthy  Servant  through  the 

Blessed  Pokahontas 45 

VIII.  How  my  Captain  loveth  the  Child  of  a  Cursed  Genera 
tion       24 

IX.  Hawks  and  Cormorants  (so  I  call  Such) 62 

X.  I  go  once  more  with  my  Captain  to  the  Place  of  Retreat  70 

XI.  We  lose  him  whose  Loss  was  our  Deaths 75 

XII.  How  Master  Ratcliffe  was  a  Dead  Corpse  on  the  York 

River 81 

XIII.  We  go  through  the  Wilderness  to  the  Land  of  Canaan  88 

XIV.  How  Some  One  did  break  a  Poor  Man  on  the  Wheel  .  94 
XV.  How  my  Lady  Pokahontas  is  brought  to  Jamestown  a 

Prisoner 101 

XVI.  I  make  Acquaintance  of  Master  Rolf e 707 

XVII.  I  think,  Sure  't  is  better  to  be  off  with  the  Old  Love  ere 

on  with  the  New 7/5 


vi  Table  of  Contents 

XVIII.  We  sail  up  York  River  with  my  Lady,  and  -what  fol 
lowed      J2O 

XIX.  How  my  Lady  Pokahontas  asketh, —  Must  si: e  ?  .  .  130 
XX.  My  Lady  Jeancth  on  a  Tree  and  weepeth  .  .  .  .  137 
XXI.  Of  the  City  of  Henricus  and  my  Lady's  Little  Drcell 

that  -was  made  a  Christian 140 

XXII.  Of  the  Trick  the  High  Marshal  would  play  on  the 

Emperor,  but  he  would  not '.750 

XXIII.  My  Lady  goes  to  England /5<5 

XXIV.  I  go  to  the  Globe  Theatre 162 

XXV.  And  meet  again    with   Captain  Smith  and  Master 

Shakespeare i6j 

XXVI.  How  Smith  telleth  he  was  not  dead,  and  crieth,  «  O 

Heaven  !  could  she  not  wait  ?" 775 

XXVII.  Of  the  Valiant  Captain  Smith's  Last  Greeting  with 

niy  Lady  Pokahontas /7P 

XXVIII.  How  my  Lady  Pokahontas  passed  in  Peace      .     .     .188 


My  Lady  Poka 


UNIVERSITY 


Unworthy  Anas  Todkill, 
Years. 


HEN  that  blessed  damozel,  HOW  my 

i  T       i       T-»    i      i  Lady  passed 

my  dear  Lady  Pokahontas,  in  peace. 
died  untimely,  I  fell  into  a 
great  wonder  at  the  mys 
terious  ways  of  Providence 
that  put  out  that  bright 
light  of  our  time  so  sudden.  Virginia  had 
much  need  of  her  to  bring  her  people  to 
the  knowledge  of  our  Saviour.  But  she 
went  away  to  heaven  even  at  the  moment 
when  she  was  returning  to  her  country, 
and  her  hope  to  have  builded  up  a  New 
Jerusalem  in  that  Heathennesse  had  no 
fruit,  but  was  buried  in  her  grave.  She 
had  surely  done  her  work  to  God's  honour 
and  immortal  glory ;  natheless,  ne'er  was 
it  begun.  A  pilgrim  and  stranger,  she  was 
called  to  the  Land  of  Peace.  When  about 


2  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

i  serve  in  to  set  forth  with  her  babe  on  the  Virginia 
nia.*5J>  voyage,  she  goes  on  that  other,  from  which 
none  comes  back.  Sure  her  dear  and 
blessed  hands  had  overturned  the  Divell's 
kingdom  there  ;  but  she  is  gone,  and  the 
frame  of  that  great  business  is  fall'n  into 
her  tomb. 

How  it  chanced  that  I,  the  Puritan  Anas 
Todkill,  came  to  love  her,  this  true  relation 
showeth  the  reader.  'T  is  but  little  I  need 
say  of  my  life  before  the  Virginia  adven 
ture,  wherein  I  saw  what  Master  Drayton 
calleth  "Earth's  only  Paradise."  All  the 
Todkills,  methinks,  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world  have  been  Puritans  ;  and  this 
Anas  sees  the  light  for  the  first  time  in 
Kent,  England,  and  grows  to  boyhood,  and 
learns  to  read,  and  a  thirst  seizes  him  to 
see  the  world.  So  he  steals  away  from 
home  and  wanders  off  to  the  Flanders 
wars  ;  thence  he  goes  and  takes  part  in 
the  fierce  battles  of  Transylvania,  where 
Duke  Sigismund  is  fighting  the  murther- 
ous  Turks.  My  captain  was  that  dear  and 
loyal  soldier,  John  Smith,  who  was  knighted 
by  the  Prince  for  slaying  three  Turkish 
champions  in  single  combat,  and,  under 
that  chevalier,  we  oft  conquered.  But  the 
evil  day  came,  as  it  comes  at  last  to  all. 


My  Lady  Pokdhontas  3 

At  the  bloody  and  dismal  fight  of  the  Ro-  Back  in 
ther  Thurm  fortune  changed.  The  Chris 
tians  did  their  part,  and  left  their  bodies  in 
testimony  of  their  minds ;  but  the  Turks 
overcame  us,  and  I  was  cut  down  and  lay 
past  all  sense  and  remembrance. 

That  I  lived  was  due  to  Smith,  who 
dragged  me  out,  and  so  I  escaped  ;  he  him 
self  was  taken  prisoner  and  sold  to  slavery, 
whereof  may  be  read  in  his  book  what  he 
suffered,  and  how  he  slew  his  foul  tyrant 
and  fled  to  Russia.  So,  the  wars  at  an  end, 
Anas  Todkill  is  back  in  Kent,  where  he 
tells  of  his  strange  adventures,  and  thinks 
his  peaceful  days  irksome.  The  happy  hop 
fields  and  the  maidens  are  not  the  fields  (or 
maids)  for  him ;  night  and  morn  a  voice 
cries,  — 

"  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest !  There  be 
work  in  the  world  to  do  !  " 

'Till  at  last  there  is  naught  left  but  to 
listen  to  that  voice  which  will  not  rest. 
So  I  say  to  my  old  mother  :  — 

"  Bless  your  loving  Anas,  mother ;  he 
must  leave  you  for  a  season.  England  calls 
on  all  true  Englishmen,  and  would  have 
each  do  his  duty:  namely,  rifle  Spanish 
galleons  or  other  work  in  God's  cause 
against  the  Divell." 


4  My  Lady  Pokdbontas 

s  his  Thereat  my  dear  old  mother  wept  sore 
^^  would  not  be  comforted ;  but  I,  that 
was  a  man,  stood  steadfast,  though  nigh 
choking. 

So  this  mother  and  son  clasp,  and  kiss, 
and  part  each  with  other ;  and  Anas 
Todkill  turns  his  back  on  the  hap 
py    autumn    fields    and    goes 
forth  with  long  thoughts 
on  his  Pilgrimage. 


II. 


/  talk  with  Captain  Smith  and  Master  Shake 
speare  at  the  Mermaid. 

SO  I  go  away  to  London  ;  then  as  now 
the  mighty  heart   whence   the  . great 
pulsations    drove    the   hot    blood    to   the 
farthest  lands,  wherever  floated  the  flag  of 
England  to  flout  the  Spaniard. 

When  I  pass  under  Temple  Bar,  I  see 
Fleet  Street  full  of  people  ;  most  of  soldiers 
from  the  wars  of  the  Low  Countries  and 
Transylvania.  They  walk  in  long  strides, 
rattling  broadswords  and  twisting  mus 
taches  ;  each  asking  other  what  was  com 
ing  for  them  in  the  new  reign  of  his  Maj 
esty  King  James.  I  who  had  be'en  to 
London  and  attended  the  theatres  (though 
I  be  a  Puritan)  could  see  many  Nyms  and 
Bardolphs  in  this  red-nosed  crowd,  and 
jostled  against  such.  Sudden,  a  loud  voice 
greets  me,  and  a  hand  is  struck  in  mine.  I 
look  up,  and  who  should  I  see  but  that 
same  valiant  Captain  John  Smith,  with 
bright  eyes  and  long  mustaches  and  beard 


My  Lady  Pokahontas 


i  spade,  I  had  last  seen  in  Transyl 
vania  when  I  fell  half  dead  there. 

The  eyes  laughed  like  the  mouth  that 
said  :  — 

"Anas  Todkill!  By  my  faith  thou  art 
welcome,  comrade  ! " 

With  which  he  puts  one  arm  round  me, 
his  brave  new  doublet  with  rich  slashes 
and  gold  lace  rubbing  up  against  my  coun 
try  frieze. 

"  See  the  gallant !  "  I  say,  looking  with 
lurking  smiles  at  all  this  bravery  ;  "  the  old 
soldier  turned  courtier  !  " 

"And  fine  gentleman,  by  my  faith!" 
he  cries,  twisting  his  long  mustache.  "  Why 
not  ?  Duke  Sigismund  gave  me  fifteen 
hundred  gold  ducats  at  Leipzig,  Anas. 
Hold  !  there  is  your  share,  comrade." 

Whereat  he  draws  from  his  doublet  a 
handful  of  gold  which  he  would  thrust  on 
me,  but  I  would  not. 

"Well  here  is  your  Peru,  comrade,  when 
ever  you  will,"  he  says  in  his  gallant  voice  ; 
"and  now  walk  with  me,  and  tell  me  of 
yourself." 

So  we  walked  on  together  and  begun 
a  legion  of  old  stories  to  renew  acquain 
tance.  My  own  was  soon  related,  and 
Smith  then  tells  me  how  he  was  made 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  7 

prisoner  and  sold  to  slavery,  but  killed  his  He  teiis  of 
tyrant  by  beating  out  his  brains,  when  he  twn. vc 
wandered  into  the  desert,  but  got  to  Russia 
and  thence  to  England.    At  Leipzig  Duke 
Sigismund   gives  him  the  ducats  and  his 
patent  of  Knighthood.     He  pulls  this  out 
now  and  shows  me  it  in  Latin,  and  says  he 
will  have  it  registered  in  Garter  King  of 
Arms  his  office.* 

"  I  have  deeply  hazarded  myself,  Anas, 
in  doing  and  suffering,"  he  says,,  "  and  even 
the  play  writers  make  relations  of  me." 

"  The  playwriters  ? "  I  say. 

"  Yes  verily,  —  is  not  that  the  Puritan 
twang,  Anas  ?  They  have  acted  my  fatal 
tragedies  on  the  stage  and  wracked  my  re 
lations  at  their  pleasure."  f 

"  Then  the  rumour  has  come  hither  ?  " 

"  Doubtless,  since  they  make  a  play  of 
me.  But  I  owe  them  no  great  grudge. 
Never  were  better  or  gentler  people  than 
these  play  actors  and  writers.  Even  now 
I  am  going  to  meet  one  of  them,  Master 
Will  Shakespeare,  who  seeks  speech  with 
me.  Will  you  go  also  ?  " 

*  It  was  registered  there,  but  not  until  afterwards,  August  19, 
1625.  The  patent  signed  by  Sigismund  Bathori  at  Leipzig  in  1603, 
just  before  the  meeting  with  Todkill,  is  given,  in  the  original  Latin,  in 
Smith's  True  Travels  and  Adventures.  It  is  also  found  in  the 
Harleian  MSS.,  in  the  British  Museum. 

•*  Smith  makes  the  same  statement  in  the  same  words  in  the 
dedication  of  his  True  Travels  to  the  Earl  of  Pembroke. 


8  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

At  the  Thereat  I  laughed  and  cried  :  — 

Mermaid  — ,  .  f        ,  T       ,  ,. 

Tavern.  "  Go  see  a  writer  of  plays  !    I,  the  godly 

Anas  Todkill  ?    'T  is  sure  a  snare  of  Satan. 
Thou  wilt  take  me  to  some  tavern." 
"To  the  Mermaid." 

"The  haunt  of  roysterers,  Ben  Jonson 
and  his  crew !  Next,  my  soul  will  be  im 
perilled  by  attending  the  Globe  theatre. 
Avaunt !  Natheless  —  natheless  —  I  will 

go." 

"  I  knew  thou  wouldst !  Catch  old  birds 
with  chaff,  my  worthy  Puritan ;  thou  art 
no  better  than  the  rest  ! " 

He  laughed  loud  as  before,  and  putting 
his  arm  through  mine  we  go  toward  the 
tavern.  I  was  more  than  willing,  for  I 
loved  the  thought  of  seeing  sweet  Will 
Shakespeare,  of  whom  I  had  heard  much. 
My  Captain  now  breaks  forth  in  praises 
of  him  as  we  walk  along. 

"  Even  you  vile  Puritan  people,"  he  says, 
"  must  love  him  as  much  as  the  gayest  gal 
lant  that  ruffles  feathers.  Sure  a  greater 
English  pen  never  wrote  than  Will  Shake 
speare's.  We  will  talk  with  him  a  little  ; 
then  I  have  somewhat  to  say  to  thee,  Anas. 
I  want  good  men  for  a  great  work ;  but 
more  anon  of  that." 

We  come  at  last  to  the  Mermaid  tavern 


My  Lady  Pohdbontas  9 

and  find  the  place  full  of  swordsmen  rattling  sweet  wm 
spurs  and  drinking  sack,  and  talking  loud  and  San" 
of  their  exploits  in  the  Flanders  wars.    My  B 
Captain  pushes  through  'em  as  one  who  is 
weary  of  that,  and  goes  to  a  corner  where 
is  seated  in  a  sort  of  shadow  a  man  with 
a  bald  forehead  and  a  pointed  beard,  in  a 
turned  down  collar.     He  is  looking  at  the 
crowd  and  smiling  in  a  notable  way,  and 
as  I  gaze  at  him  I  think,  "  He  is  studying 
these  people."     This  man,   I    soon  found, 
was   Master   Will   Shakespeare ;   and   not 
far  from  him  sate  a  burly  big  man   with 
a  pocked  face  drinking  sack,  who  was  the 
great  playwriter,  Ben  Jonson. 

As  we  now  begin  talking  with  Master 
Shakespeare,  Master  Jonson  chimes  in, 
and  they  two  have  wit  combats  ;  wherein 
Shakespeare  is  like  a  quiet  English  craft 
darting  to  and  fro  around  a  huge  Span 
ish  galleon,  firing  culverins  into  her  hulk. 
When  Smith  first  comes  up  Master  Shake 
speare  rises  and  salutes  him,  smiling.  His 
smile  is  extraordinary  sweet,  and  his  way 
of  speaking  very  simple  and  friendly.  They 
talked  a  long  time,  but  Master  Shakespeare 
listened  more  than  he  spoke.  With  his 
eyes  fixed  on  Smith  he  seemed  to  be 
studying  him  too,  as  he  had  been  studying 


io  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

Their  merry  the  crowd  in  the  tavern,  where  that  day 
came  Ancient  Pistol,  and  one  resembling 
Sir  John  Falstaff,  though  methinks  that 
wonder  of  wit  must  have  been  a  pure  fancy 
of  the  brain. 

.  The  talk  went  on  to  the  afternoon,  and 
I  well  remember  all  Master  Shakespeare 
said.  He  was  ever  smiling  and  sipping 
his  sack,  and  when  Master  Ben  Jonson 
cried  "Ho!  ho!"  and  jested  in  his  deep, 
gruff  voice  at  his  friend,  Master  Shake 
speare  turns  round  sudden  and  fires  a 
shot  at  him.  But  for  having  much  to 
record,  I  should  beg  the  good  reader  to  so 
far  bear  with  me  as  to  let  me  set  down 
the  exact  words  of  Master  Shakespeare, 
the  jests  he  uttered,  and  some  wondrous 
maxims  that  came  from  him.  But  time  is 
wanting,  and  I  needs  must  pass  to  that  au 
dience  with  which  I  was  honoured  on  this 
same  day  by  his  Majesty  King  James.  It 
were  ill  to  spend  attention  on  a  mere  play- 
writer  while  his  gracious  Majesty  waits.  So 
I  pass  over  what  Master  Shakespeare  told 
us  of  his  life  at  Stratford,  why  he  came  up 
to  London,  and  where  he  got  his  plays. 
He  spoke  of  all  to  Smith,  who  was  not  a 
stranger  to  him  ;  and  had  I  space  I  might 
tell  the  names  of  the  real  people  he  drew 


My  Lady  Pokdhontas  n 

from,  in  tragedy  and  comedy,  from    Shy-  Master 
lock,   the  Jew   of  Venice,    to   wheezy    Sir  fhfine 
John  Falstaff,  who  so  exceeds  all  else  for  talk' 
wit  and  humour  that  I  have  seen  the  great 
crowds  at  the  Globe,  or  the  House  in  Black 
Friars,  rise  up  and   shout  as  he  waddled 
on  the  stage. 

To  end  with  Master  Shakespeare  whose 

fine  filed  talk  I  could  set  down.     His  dis- 

* 

course  with  Smith  was  of  a  drama  which 
he  purposed  writing  on  his  return  to  Strat 
ford,  which  always  inspired  him,  he  said, 
as  one  to  the  manner  born.*  This  drama, 
meant  to  be  writ,  he  said,  would  be  named 
"The  Tempest,"  and  the  stage  to  be 
the  Bermudas,  or  Isles  of  Devils,  whereof 
Master  Henry  May,  the  shipwrecked  mar 
iner,  writes  in  his  relation  of  1593,  then 
late  printed.f  Somewhat  more  was  needed, 
Master  Shakespeare  said,  than  that  brief 
relation  ;  and  he  prayed  Captain  Smith,  if 
he  ever  visited  this  wild  country,  to  come 
to  Stratford  on  Avon  when  he  was  back  in 
England,  and  tell  him  all  things  at  his  New 
Place  house  there.  This  and  more  was 


*  The  spelling  of  the  word  "manor"  in  this  place  by  Todkill 
would  seem  to  indicate  that  Shakespeare  wrote  "  to  the  manner 
born,"  and  not  "to  the  manner,'11  in  Hamlet.  The  word  manor  is 
so  spelled  in  old  deeds  of  that  century  and  the  century  succeeding  it. 

t  In  1600,  just  preceding  this  interview  with  Shakespeare. 


12  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

take  said  i  how  the  Captain  should  be  a  wel- 
r.  * at  come  guest  there,  and  how  himself,  Master 
Shakespeare,  spent  his  time :  in  what  hours 
of  the  day  he  writes  his  plays,  and  how 
they  would  come  to  him  ;  brief,  all  about 
himself,  and  how  his  life  passed  there. 
But  for  having  greater  matter,  —  that  au 
dience  with  his  Majesty,  —  I  might  here 
trifle  the  time  for  my  reader  (though  he 
were  loth)  with  this  small,  idle  gossip  touch 
ing  a  writer  of  plays.  Sure  that  were  a 
shame,  Anas  (I  say),  while  his  Majesty 
waits  !  Think !  thy  dread  liege,  King  James, 
to  wait  on  a  player  ! 

So  at  last  this  sweet  Will  Shakespeare 
takes  leave  of  us  with  close  pressure  of 
hands  ;  goes  away  to  the  town  of  Stratford, 
where  he  seemeth  to  think  naught  of  his 
fame  ;  and  now,  lately,  falls  asleep  there, 
and  lies  under  the  daisies.  Almost  I  doubt 
it  had  not  been  better  to  forget  his  great 
Majesty  and  speak  of  this  Shakespeare ;  of 
his  flashes  of  quick  conceit  and  weighty 
thoughts  winged  with  laughter.  Natheless, 
Smith  would  go  to  the  King,  and  we  push 
through  the  Nyms  and  Pistols  out  of  the 
Mermaid :  but  he,  too,  pondereth  and  saith, 
turning  to  look  back  :  "  Is  he  not  wonder 
ful,  this  sweet  Will  Shakespeare  ?  Was 


My  Lady  Pokaliontas  13 

there  ever  a  kindlier  smile  ?  No  marvel  smith  would 
his  plays  ravish  the  listeners  with  a  sort  of  ™in  Land.tr~ 
delight." 

"Well,  perchance  he  hath  some  merit," 
I  say,  designing  a  jest ;  "he  is  the  best  of 
his  bad  class,  I  allow." 

Thereat  Smith  burst  forth  in  laughter. 

"  There  is  godly  Anas  Todkill  making 
believe  he  is  a  hater  of  plays  and  play- 
writers,  and  loves  'em  all  the  time,  though 
he  scoff  at  'em  !  But  to  other  matters, 
Anas.  I  am  going  on  the  Virginia  voy- 
age." 

"  The  Virginia  voyage  !  "  I  say. 

"  Yea,  though  it  end  at  the  Isle  of  Dev 
ils,  —  the  still-vexd  Bermoothes,  as  Master 
Shakespeare  called  them." 

"  Avaunt  Sathanas  !  "  I  cry ;  "  thou  wilt 
lead  me  to  perdition." 

"  No,  to  the  Virgin  land,  Anas  !  Come, 
I  want  men  like  thee.  Worthy  Bartholo 
mew  Gosnold,  the  brave  sea  captain,  and 
my  friend,  hath  set  on  foot  a  voyage  thither 
to  found  a  colony  in  the  wondrous  country.  . 
Fame  surely  hath  told  you  of  him.  He  it 
was  who  made  the  first  straight  voyage 
across  the  Atlantic  ocean.  He  landed  in 
New  England,  but  would  now  adventure 
farther  south.  This  voyage  fills  my  mind, 


/  4  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

i  have  audi-  comrade.  That  country  is  now  untrod,  but 
'graciLl^  who  knows  ?  great  cities  and  states  may 
some  day  rise  there.  It  may  be,  the 
world  rolls  westward,  not  eastward  as  some 
will  have  it.  Master  Gosnold  has  got  three 
ships  —  the  God  Speed,  the  Susan  Constant, 
and  the  Discovery —  and  a  hundred  adven 
turers.  Wilt  thou  go  with  him  and  me  ? 
If  thou  wilt,  Anas,  we  shall  see  fine  times  ! 
All  is  ready.  Even  now  I  seek  his  Maj 
esty,  who  has  granted  us  his  patent.  Come 
thou,  too,  and  talk  with  him  ;  fear  not ! 
't  is  only  a  man,  and  not  so  much  a  man, 
for  thy  ear,  Anas  !  " 

Whoso  listened  to  this  soldier  was  sooner 
or  later  persuaded  by  him.  I  was  ready 
for  that  same  persuasion.  There  was 
nought  to  hold  me  in  England,  and  I 
longed  to  sail  the  western  seas  and  reach 
the  wondrous  land,  and  find  the  Fount 
of  Youth  there,  wherein  I  believed,  nor  am 
sure  I  disbelieve  to-day.  So  I  joyfully 
agreed  to  go  on  this  famous  Virginia  voy 
age  ;  and  went  with  Captain  Smith  to 
Whitehall,  where  we  had  audience  of  his 
Majesty  about  the  Virginia  business.  I, 
Anas  Todkill,  was  ushered  in  with  him, 
and  his  Majesty  speaks  to  me  by  name  in 
his  sweet  Scottish  accent.  But  this  great 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  75 

and  exceeding  honour  deserveth  more  rela 
tion  :  and  now  see  how  ill  a  thing  it  had 
been  to  waste  time  on  Master  Shakespeare  ! 
There  had  then  been  no  space  to  tell  of 
this  far  greater  honour,  —  my  audience 
with  his  Majesty,  whereof  I  give  here  a 
full  repertory  of  all  he  said,  leaving  out 
nothing.*  .  .  . 

*  Unfortunately  the  sheets  of  Master  Todkill's  relation  describ 
ing  his  interview  with  King  James  I.  have  been  lost.  The  paging 
indicates  that  the  relation  was  elaborate. 


UNIVERSITY 


III. 


/  go  on  the  Virginia  Voyage,  and  what  fol 
lowed  at  Jamestown. 

i  go  OH  the  O  O  at  last  the  adventurers  to  Virginia 
Yo/a™  ^  were  on  the  ocean  ;  and  passing  the 
Azores,  sailed  westward  to  the  unknown 
land.  The  spring  was  come  as  we  neared 
Mevis,  Mona,  and  the  Virgin  Isles,  and  the 
sea  was  ruffled  to  silver  ripples  by  the 
south  wind.  Here  we  rested,  and  then 
went  on,  coasting  the  country  of  Florida 
(where  the  Spaniard  hath  intruded),  smell 
ing  the  perfume  of  early  flowers  wafted  far 
out  to  sea.  The  colony  was  to  be  fixed 
at  Roanoke,  where  that  valiant  and  great 
spirit,  Sir  Richard  Grenville  of  noble  mem- 
ory  —  he  who  fought  the  fifty  Spaniards  in 
his  one  ship,  the  Revenge,  off  the  Azores, 
and  died  with  a  quiet  mind  *  —  founded 

*  This  is  evidently  an  allusion  to  the  last  words  of  Sir  Richard 
Grenville,  whose  famous  combat  with  the  Spanish  ships  had  taken 
place  about  fifteen  years  before  :  — 

"  Here  I,  Richard  Grenville,  die  with  a  joyous  and  quiet  mind, 
for  that  I  have  ended  my  life  as  a  true  soldier  ought  to  do,  fighting 
for  his  country,  queen,  religion,  and  honour,  my  soul  willingly  de 
parting  from  this  body,  leaving  behind  the  lasting  fame  of  having 
behaved  as  every  valiant  soldier  is  in  his  duty  bound  to  do." 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  ij 

the  first  English  colony.     The  poor  peo-  And  enter 
pie  wandered  off  into  the  woods  and  were  cLlTpelke, 

,  ,         r  i  called  of  the 

nevermore   heard   or,  —  a  strange    decree  Spaniard 
of  Almighty  Providence,  were  aught  done  S< 
by  Him  strange,  or  not  a  working  together 
for  good  to  them  that  love  Him.     So  they 
went  away  quietly,  —  little  Virginia  Dare, 
the  first  English  child  born  in  America,  and 
the  rest,  —  and   the   cypress    forest   took 
them,  and  they  were  no  more  heard  of. 

Now  this  old  Roanoke  colony  was  to 
be  built  again  on  the  same  foundation.  But 
we  were  never  to  see  Roanoke.  A  fierce 
storm  drave  us  northward  to  the  mouth  of 
a  great  bay,  and  taking  refuge  therein  we 
thanked  God  for  his  deliverance,  and  re 
solved  to  found  the  Virginia  colony  here. 

Before  us  was  a  great  inland  sea,  with 
waves  as  high  as  the  main  ocean,  over 
which  skimmed  white-winged  sea-fowl,  and 
along  the  shore  was  a  fringe  of  goodly 
trees.  Sailing  on,  we  named  a  cape  of 
land  Point  Comfort,  since  we  had  good 
comfort  there  after  the  tossing  storm  ;  and 
then  we  went  up  a  great  river,  called  the 
Powhatan  by  the  Indians,  and  landed  here 
and  there  in  the  Paspahegh  country,  the 
land  of  Appomattocks,  and  elsewhere,  look 
ing  for  a  good  spot.  This  we  found  on  the 


1 8  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

Jamestown,  left  bank  of  the  river  about  forty  miles 
from  its  mouth,  and  here  we  landed  in 
May,  calling  the  place  Jamestown  in  honour 
of  his  Majesty,  and  pitched  tents,  and  set 
to  work  building  cabins. 

If  the  readers  of  this  true  relation  would 
know  of  the  old  times  at  Jamestown,  —  how 
we  lived  under  tents  and  boughs,  and 
stretched  a  canvas  between  trees  to  wor 
ship  God  under,  with  a  pulpit  of  a  bar  of 
wood  nailed  to  two  of  the  trunks  ;  and 
worked  at  the  huts  with  dusky  Indians 
looking  on,  and  wondering  at  the  reed 
thatching  as  at  us  and  all  we  did,  —  this 
is  writ  in  the  old  repertories  of  Master 
Fenton,  Master  George  Percy,  and  other 
of  Smith's  old  soldiers. 

This  true  relation  tells  the  story  of  my 
Lady  Pokahontas ;  but  natheless  comes 
back  to  memory  that  fearful  summer  of  our 
blessed  Lord,  1607.  A  hot  fever,  bred  of 
the  river  ooze  and  sultry  sun,  well  nigh 
destroyed  us.  For  five  months  in  this 
miserable  distress  there  were  not  five  men 
to  man  the  bulwarks  ;  in  every  corner  of 
the  fort  old  soldiers  groaning  day  and 
night  most  pitiful  to  hear.  If  there  be 
any  conscience  in  men  it  would  make  their 
hearts  to  bleed,  could  I  tell  them  of  the 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  79 

pitiful  murmuring  of  our  poor  sick  men,  by  The  terrible 
day  and  by  night;  some  departing  out  of 
the  world,  many  times  three  and  four  in 
a  night !  in  the  morning  the  dead  bod 
ies  trailed  out  of  the  cabins  like  dogs,  to 
be  buried  in  the  ooze  by  the  rest  of  the 
sick,  scarce  enough  to  perform  that  sad 
office.* 

Oh,  it  was  pitiful,  and  but  for  our  Cap 
tain,  Smith,  the  end  of  the  colony  had  then 
come.  He  it  was  who,  next  under  God, 
preserved  us  all  from  death  and  confusion. 
When  not  ten  men  could  go  or  stand,  he 
fed  the  sick  and  was  the  head  of  all.  Of 
that  fearful  time  I  can  speak  no  further. 
My  breast  still  labours  to  think  how,  ere 
the  autumn  of  that  year,  we  lost  one  half 
our  company.  But  the  cool  days  came  at 
last,  and  the  rivers  were  full  of  wild  fowls, 
giving  meat  to  our  starving  handful. 

Hope  revived  with  this  blessed  season, 
and  next,  the  Council  bethink  them  that 
his  Majesty's  command  to  discover  the 
South  Sea  beyond  the  Blue  Mountains  is 
not  obeyed  yet. 

Now  a  word  of  this  same  Council,  —  not 
much  speaking,  since  they  be  not  worthy  of 

*  This  account  exactly  agrees  with  that  of  George  Percy,  brother 
of  the  Earl  of  Northumberland,  in  his  Discourse  of  the  Plantation 
of  the  Soutliern  Colony  in  Virginia. 


2O  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

smith  seeketb  it.  The  head  thereof  was  Master  Edward 
Maria  Wingfield,  a  fat  merchant,  and  the 
tail,  one  Ratcliffe,  a  counterfeit  impostor, 
as  will  be  set  forth.  This  Wingfield  had 
been  best  at  home,  for  his  heart  failed  him 
from  the  first,  and  he  did  nought  but 
feast  on  the  stores,  and  start  at  shadows, 
thinking  Smith  would  murder  him.  Smith 
haunts  him  night  and  day  ;  would  make 
himself  "  King  of  Virginia,"  and  is  tried 
on  that  charge,  and  Wingfield  shown  to 
have  suborned  perjury.  So  the  jury  ac 
quits  Smith  and  puts  Ratcliffe  in  Wing- 
field's  stead ;  when  he  would  seize  the  Pin 
nace  and  fly  to  England,  whither  the  two 
other  ships  had  gone,  as  I  will  relate. 

Now  these  Councillors  would  destroy 
their  enemy,  the  valiant  Captain  Smith, 
and  urged  the  South  Sea  discovery  in  the 
bitter  season  to  that  end.  But  he,  full  of 
his  brave  spirit,  natheless  would  undertake 
it  ;  or  at  least  go  and  explore  the  river 
Chickahomania,  which  hath  its  head  in  the 
Blue  Mountains,  beyond  which  is  the  great 
South  Sea,  though  none  hath  discovered 
it.  So  toward  the  time  of  Christmas,  in 
the  middle  of  an  extreme  frost,  Smith  sets 
out  in  his  barge,  like  old  Ulysses,  with  com 
panions,  and  sails  westward  toward  the 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  21 

baths  of  the  stars,  and  is  no  more  seen  for  The  bruit 

comes  he  is 

a  long  season.  siain. 

Fain  would  I,  Anas  Todkill,  have  made 
one  of  his  mariners,  for  my  heart  cleaved 
to  this  valiant  soldier  ;  but  I  could  not, 
being  sick  of  a  quinsy,  and  was  forced  to 
tarry  at  Jamestown.  Soon  the  white  sail 
of  the  barge  was  seen  coming  back  down 
the  James  River ;  and  the  men,  all  bleeding 
and  distraught,  bring  a  report  that  Smith 
is  slain  by  the  savages  and  two  others  with 
him.  Thereat  a  great  grief  smote  me, 
and  I  cried  :  — 

"Farewell  thou  good  soldier !  None  hath 
seen  thy  like,  and  will  not  in  the  time  to 
come !  " 

Master  Wingfield  is  standing  by,  puff 
ing  out  with  his  pursy  mouth,  as  I  say 
this,  and  scowls  at  me.  The  new  Presi 
dent,  Ratcliffe,  hears  me  too,  and  looks  at 
me  with  his  bloodshot  eyes  under  bushy 
black  brows. 

"  Cease  thy  muttering ! "  growls  this 
Ratcliffe ;  "  Smith  is  a  traitor,  whose  end 
is  just." 

"  He  is  no  traitor  ! "  I  cry,  "  but  a  true 
man  and  a  worthy.  It  is  they  who  devour 
the  stores  and  spend  the  days  in  riotous 
living,  while  we  starve,  who  are  the  trai 
tors!" 


22  My  Lady  Pohahontas 

Thereat  some   standing   by   frown   and 

J 


retted. 

mutter:  — 


"  Anas  Todkill  says  the  truth  !  " 
When  Ratcliffe  falls  in  a  rage  and  shouts  : 
"  Arrest  this  brawler  and  mutineer  !  " 
"  Arrest  him,  I  say  !  "  here  cries  Wing- 
field,  red   with   wrath,  to  his  confederate, 
Archer  ;  and  claps  me  in  the  Fort,  where  I 
lay  till  past  New  Year  in  arrest.* 

By  that  time  all  was  combustion  and 
confusion  at  Jamestown.  The  unruly  crew 
ruled  all  and  ruined  all.  Then  the  last 
black  act  comes.  Wingfield,  Ratcliffe,  and 
Archer  seize  the  Pinnace  to  escape  to  Eng 
land. 

But  their  evil  hour  had  come.  It  was 
now  past  New  Year,  and  the  ground  was 
white  with  snow,  when  sudden  the  bruit 
runs,  "  Smith  is  coming  !  "  Thereat  I,  who 
was  yet  under  arrest,  pushed  by  the  man 
on  guard  at  the  Fort,  dared  him  to  stop 
me,  caring  nought,  and  rushed  out  and 
met  Smith,  who  strides  into  the  palisade 
with  a  wild  train  of  heathen.  f 

Short  work  is  made  of  the  confederates, 
who  had  hastened  on  board  the  Pinnace 

*  Wingfield  had  no  right  to  arrest  Todkill,  having  been  deposed  ; 
but  his  confederate,  Archer,  chose,  it  seems,  to  regard  the  order  as 
sufficient,  all  the  more  as  Ratcliffe  had  also  given  it. 

t  These  heathen  or  Indians  were  the  friendly  guides  and  attendants 
supplied  to  Smith  by  Powhatan. 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  23 

and  would  have  fled.     But  Smith  runs  to  smith « 

._,  .  11-  tried  by  the 

the  Fort  and  trams  cannon  on  the  ship  ;  uvMcai 
nor  stops  he  to  summon  them.  His  friends 
crowd  around  him,  and  sudden  the  culver- 
ins  roar.  With  sakre-falcon  and  musket- 
shot  he  thunders  on  those  mutineers,  and 
they  have  notice  to  stay  or  sink.  They 
surrender  and  come  on  shore,  a  -black 
looking  crew  enough  ;  but  many  are  their 
followers,  so  that  Smith  is  not  master  yet. 
He  is  like  to  be  victim  even.  The  very 
next  day  he  is  arraigned  for  trial  under  the 
law  of  Leviticus  for  the  death  of  the  two 
men  slain  on  the  Chickahomania !  I  who 
write  this,  long  after,  stop  and  shake  with 
laughter  at  that.  But  it  was  done  :  his 
enemies  would  try  him,  alleging  the  Levit- 
ical  law  that  he  should  be  put  to  death !  * 

But  their  horns  were  so  much  too  short 
to  finish  that  business.  Smith  was  not 
the  man  to  trifle  the  time  with  such  tuf- 
taffty  humourists.  Sudden  the  whole  party, 
judges  and  all,  are  arrested.  Then  Smith, 
sword  in  hand,  points  to  the  river  and 
says  :  — 

"  To  the  Pinnace  !  Since  these  gallants 

*  This  statement  of  Todkill's  is  fully  corroborated  in  the  General 
History,  where  it  is  said :  "  Some  no  better  than  they  should  be 
plotted  the  next  day  to  have  put  him  to  death  by  the  Levitical  law," 
for  having  "  led  to  their  ends  "  the  two  victims. 


24  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

But  that  ends  like  it  so,  they  shall  live  there  at  my  pleas 
ure,  till  I  send  them  home  to  be  tried  by 
the  High  Council." 

Thereat   the   old  soldiers    shout   and 

clash   swords    round    the    chief, 

and    the     confederates    are 

forced  on  the  Pinnace, 

and    Smith    is 

master. 


g^£g&£i&g^gi&^i&>£$&^&&££>^£>^&> 

^^^^^S^^S^^S^^^^S^^^^S^^^^^ 

^t^~  ^t&i^^&^&)^lS3^t&)^l&>^&^l^^&>^ll^ 

«6^S''&Jw^»\?  ^JsS?  *?ff^t  T&rjs?^irjsi»  ^J\?  *$&  &&*&'&&*£; 

IV. 

My  Captain  tells  how  an  Angel  saved  Him. 

SO  this  ill  business  is  over,  and  all  re-  smith's  pern 
with  the 
joice  that  Smith  is  back.     The  gallant  heathen. 

face  is  a  stay  to  the  feeble,  and  new  life- 
blood  seemeth  to  flow  in  the  veins  of  the 
poor  people.  He  ordereth  all  things  for 
peace  or  war ;  and,  that  done,  comes  to  the 
Fort  in  the  sunset,  where  I  am  on  post. 
When  the  guard  relieves  me  we  walk  on 
the  shore. 

"  I  will  tell  thee  of  a  great  hazard  I  have 
run,  Anas,"  Smith  says.  And  then,  with  a 
wistful  look,  he  acquaints  me  how  he  was 
seized  by  the  heathen  in  the  Chickaho- 
mania  desert,  and  tied  to  a  tree  to  be 
shot  with  arrows,  but  he  showed  them  an 
ivory  dial.  Seeing  the  needle  through  the 
glass  and  yet  unable  to  touch  it,  they  think 
him  a  god.  So  they  spared  him  and  con 
ducted  him  to  their  great  Emperor,  the 
mighty  King  Powhatan,  at  his  royal  resi 
dence  on  the  York  River. 

"  Never  was  such  a  sight,  Anas,"  the  gal- 


26  My  Lady  Pokdhontas 

He  is  led  be-  lant  Captain  says.    "  The  Emperor,  with  no 

fore  their         ,  ,      "      .  . 

Emperor.  beard  and  a  sour  look,  was  sitting  in  his 
great  arbour  or  wigwam,  with  his  guard  of 
one  hundred  bowmen,  who  surround  him 
day  and  night.  At  his  head  and  foot  were 
beautiful  Indian  girls,  his  favourite  wives, 
with  other  women  ranged  in  long  rows 
against  the  wall,  with  naked  shoulders 
dyed  with  puccoon,  and  white  bracelets. 
The  Emperor  himself  was  clad  in  a  robe  of 
raccoon  skin,  and  spoke  some  words  in  their 
strange  language.  Soon  I  found  what  was 
meant  to  be  done  with  me,  Anas.  They 
brought  in  a  huge  stone  and  dragged  me 
to  it,  and  forced  me  down  on  it.  Then  a 
big  savage  raised  his  club  to  beat  out  my 
brains,  when  God's  mercy  sent  to  my  suc 
cour  one  of  his  angels." 

Thereat  I,  who  had  listened  intently,  gave 
a  great  start  and  exclaimed  :  — 

"Sent  one  of  his  angels  !  Natheless  't  is 
not  impossible,  since  we  read  of  such  things 
in  the  Holy  Book.  Tell  me  further." 

"  The  angel  was  a  girl  of  twelve  or  thir 
teen,  the  King's  beloved  daughter.  I  had 
taken  note  of  her  in  the  throng  for  her 
extreme  grace  and  comeliness,  far  exceed 
ing  for  beauty  the  rest  of  her  people.* 

*  Smith  makes  a  similar  statement  in  his  published  description 
of  Pokahontas. 


My  Lady  Pohabontas  27 

She   was   clad    in    a    doeskin    robe    lined  My  Lady 
with  clown  from  the  breast  of  the  wood-   ^ 
pigeon,  with  bracelets  of  coral,  and  a  white 
plume  in  her  black  hair.     She  was  short 
and  slight  of  stature  with  feet  so  small  as 
scarce  carried  her ;  and  I  protest  to  you, 
Anas,  I  have  seen  many  English  maidens 
worse  favoured  and  proportioned  than  my 
little  angel."  * 

"  You  do  well  to  call  her  such.  She 
saved  you  then,  this  child  ? "  I  say,  won 
dering. 

"  She  ran  and  clasped  my  head  and  held 
me  close  to  her  heart  that  was  beating, 
and  looks  up  to  her  father  the  Emperor, 
begging  he  will  spare  me." 

"  A  great  wonder,  but  God  is  merci 
ful." 

"  Certes  He  it  was  who  sent  her.  For 
with  tears  streaming  down  she  holds  me 
close  to  her  bosom,  and  murmurs  pitifully 
that  I  be  spared." 

"  And  he  listens  to  her  ?  " 

"  He  leans  on  his  hand,  and  muses  a 
little  space.  Then  he  holds  out  his  big 
red  arm,  and  he  with  the  club  falls  back, 
sudden.  I  am  saved,  Anas  !  " 

Much  wondering  at  this  strange  relation, 
I  say  :  — 

*.  See  Smith's  letter  to  the  Queen 


28  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

Hesbapetb        "What  might  be  this  angel's  name  ?" 

"She  hath  three,  whereof  Pokahontas 
and  Amonate  be  two.  The  third,  which  is 
her  real  name,  none  would  tell  me,  lest  I 
cast  spells  on  her."  * 

"  The  heathen  savages  that  toy  with 
fancies  ! " 

"  Toy  say  you  ?  Well  the  great  King 
Powhatan  would  have  me  stay  and  fashion 
toys  for  the  maiden.  A  strange  business  for 
him  that  was  an  old  soldier  of  Duke  Sigis- 
mund,  but  not  irksome,  Anas  !  So  I  that 
was  to  be  clubbed  to  death  was  now  safe, 
and  feasted  royally,  and  all  my  business 
was  to  fashion  trinkets  with  my  jack-knife 
for  my  little  beauty  !  Do  you  laugh  at  me, 
Anas  ?  She  is  a  beauty,  and  though  she 
made  signs  to  me  that  she  was  thirteen 
only,  I  should  have  thought  her  a  maid  of 
seventeen.  These  dusky  flowers  bloom 
early,  far  earlier  than  our  English  lasses. 
And  you  should  have  seen  Pokahontas 
bending  over  me  with  her  brown  face  all 
aglow  as  I  worked,  and  her  slim  arms 
with  the  coral  bracelets  reaching  out  from 
a  robe  of  feathers  of  forest  birds  to  take 
the  trinket  I  fashioned !  Sure  never  was 
young  fawn  of  the  fallow  deer  more  grace 
ful  than  this  tender  virgin  !  " 

*  This  was  a  superstition  of  the  Virginia  Indians. 


My  Lady  Pokdhontas  29 

Thereat  I  laugh,  for  as  he  speaks  thus  /  warn  my 
Smith's  face  glows,  and  I  suspect  some-  beware.  fc 
thing. 

"  A  dusky  wonder ! "  I  say.  "  So  you  love 
her  even  now  ?  " 

"  Love  her,  say  you,  Anas  ! "  he  replies, 
looking  at  me  curiously  ;  "  sure  I  love  her 
since  she  saved  me." 

But  I,  shaking  my  head  :  — 

"  That  is  not  the  love  a  man  loves  a 
woman  with  ;  and  this  maid  is  a  woman 
sith  you  call  her  seventeen  in  face  and 
looks.  Beware,  worthy  Captain  !  " 

Smith  laughed  and  blushed  a  little,  and 
said  :  — 

"  That  were  too  foolish,  Anas  !  " 

"  Remember  you  are  young,"  I  say. 

"  I  am  twenty-nine  this  very  month,  of 
this  very  year." 

"  An  age  to  kindle  !  " 

"  By  my  faith  thou  hast  lost  thy  head, 
Anas  !  "  he  says.  "  What  time  have  I  to 
love,  or  think  to  marry  any  woman  ?  For 
look  you,  Anas,  poor  soldier  as  I  am,  I 
would  \\vepar  amours  with  none  of  them." 

"Certes  I  believe  that,  knowing  you 
as  I  do,"  I  say  ;  "  and  to  marry  this  dusk 
princess  were  a  deadly  sin,  good  Cap 
tain." 


jo  My  Lady  Pokabonias 

"  A  sin,  Anas  ?  " 

He  turns  his  head  and  looks  at  me  of  a 
sudden. 

"  Surely  a  sin,  since  the  Holy  Book  for 
bids  marriage  with  strange  wives,  and  this 
Pokahontas  belongs  to  a  cursed  genera 
tion." 

At  this  he  muses  a  little,  holding  his 
chin  in  his  hand,  and  that  elbow  in  the 
tother  *  hand. 

"  Well,  set  thy  mind  at  ease,"  he  says  at 
last ;  "  I  shall  see  her  no  more." 

"Whoknoweth?" 

"  She  is  but  a  child  and  would  not  ven 
ture  through  the  irksome  woods." 

Thereat  I  laugh  and  say  :  — 

"  But  thou  —  thou  wilt  venture  to  her, 
I  think ! " 

He  blushes  and  looking  sideways  says 
to  me  :  — 

"  Cease,  thou  foolish  Anas !  nevermore 
shall  I  see  this  blessed  Pokahontas  in  any 
coming  time." 

But  sudden  a  bruit  sounds  from  the 
forest  near  and  Smith  turns  and  looks. 

"  She  is  come  ! "  he  cries  out,  his  face 

*  This  pleonasm  is  common  in  the  old  writings  to  the  time  of  Ba 
con's  rebsllion.  In  urging  his  famous  Middle  Plantation  oath,  he 
asks  his  auditors  how  many  of  them  Sir  William  Berkley  is  apt  to  dis 
patch,  for  what  they  have  already  done,  to  "  the  tother  world." 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  31 

glowing.     "She  is  yonder,  in  the  woods! 
See  her  slim  figure,  Anas,  and  the  white  *'*' 
plume  in  her  black  hair  !  " 

"  And  a  wild  train  with  baskets  of  some 
what  to  eat,"  I  laugh,  —  "  the  angel !  " 


V. 

How  I  first  see  my  Lady  Pokabontas. 


nPHE  angel  comes  out  of  the  woods 
of  the  woods.  X  with  her  wild  train  of  attendants, 
and  the  full  baskets  weigh  down  the  backs 
of  the  dusky  people.  They  were  full- 
grown  and  brawny,  with  coverings  of  deer 
and  bear  skin,  but  I  was  looking  at  the 
osier  baskets  of  corn  and  venison. 

The  maid  comes  toward  us,  stepping 
with  a  pretty  and  proud  gait,  like  a  fawn. 
Her  hair  was  black  and  straight,  but  scarce 
seen  for  the  broad  white  plume  in  it. 
Now  I  knew  that  my  Captain  had  spoken 
truth  of  her  face  and  form,  for  scarce 
have  I  in  England  seen  maid  so  beautiful. 
She  comes  putting  down  each  little  foot, 
covered  with  bead  moccasins,  light  but 
firm,  and  smiling  out  of  black  eyes. 

Smith's  tanned  face  glowed  as  his  eyes 
met  hers,  and  he  went  forward  with  out 
stretched  hands.  Thereat  she  blushes 
also,  and  gives  him  her  hands,  looking  at 
him  and  studying  his  face,  but  speaking 


My  Lady  Pokaliontas  33 

no  word.  Smith  bows  down  his  head,  kiss-  Her  secret. 
ing  the  hand  of  the  small  princess,  and 
then  he  leads  her  into  the  Fort,  and  they 
discourse  together  by  signs.  It  was  a  mar 
vel  to  see  how  quickly  she  understood  and 
made  her  own  meaning  plain.  She  gazed 
about  in  wonder,  more  than  all  at  the  can 
non  ;  and  when  Smith,  for  her  better  en 
tertainment,  orders  a  culverin  to  be  dis 
charged  into  the  trees  covered  with  icicles, 
she  starts,  putting  her  hands  to  her  ears, 
and  sudden  draws  close  to  him  as  though 
for  protection. 

She  came  in  the  morning  early,  and  went 
back  to  her  heathen  abode  on  the  great 
river  a  little  past  noon.  To  the  Emperor's 
city  was  but  a  short  fourteen  miles,  and  she 
passed  through  the  wondering  crowd  and 
went  her  way.  She  and  Smith  parted  with 
hands  joined  together,  and  looking  each  in 
other's  eyes.  Was  my  fancy  true  ?  I  could 
not  tell  at  that  time.  Had  a  Christian  man 
fallen  in  love  with  a  heathen  girl  ?  The 
Lord  forbid  that  !  I  said.  But  I  could  see 
that  the  maid  had  lost  her  heart  to  the 
young  soldier. 

Now  this   sudden    passion,  or  else   her 
own  kind  heart,  was  God's  blessing  to  us 
poor  people,  in  dire  distress  for  food ;  for 
3 


34  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

HOW  a  ten-    the  stores  were  now  all  spent,  and  but  for 

dcr  virgin         .  ,  .  ,  .         .          ,         , 

saved  us.  the  corn  and  venison  brought  in  the  bas 
kets,  many  had  surely  perished  of  mere 
famine.  It  was  true  what  Smith  writ  after 
wards  in  his  letter  to  her  Majesty  the  Queen 
that,  without  this  tender  virgin  and  her 
great  heart  to  succour  us,  this  fine  land  of 
Virginia  had  lain  as  at  our  first  arrival  till 
this  day  ;  for  she,  next  under  God,  was  still 
the  instrument  to  preserve  the  colony  from 
death,  famine,  and  utter  confusion.*  Every 
few  days  thereafter  she  comes  back  with 
her  osier  baskets  filled,  and  the  starving 
men  blessed  this  love  of  dear  Pokahontas. 
More  of  this  perilous  time  I  need  not 
here  set  down.  Often  thinking  of  it,  I 
shudder  in  my  limbs,  and  thank  God  for 
Pokahontas.  "But  for  her,"  I  say  again 
and  again  as  I  ponder,  "  this  goodly  heri 
tage  of  Virginia  had  sunk  back  in  heathen 
dom,  and  God's  immortal  cause  have  had 
herein  no  exemplar." 

Happily  succour  soon  arrives.  A  white 
sail  comes  up  the  great  river,  flying  the 
English  flag  ;  and  seeing  she  was  not  a 
Spaniard,  but  from  the  home  land,  a  roar  of 
culverins  salutes  her,  and  she  comes  to  an 
chor.  Her  commander  was  Captain  New- 

*  Smith  uses  the  same  words  in  his  letter  to  the  Queen. 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  35 

port,  an  empty,  idle  man,  who  was  ever  Newport's 
carrying  tales  to  the  Company  in  London ;  Mp' 
but  we  cared  not,  since  they  sent  us  new 
men  and  supplies  for  our  poor  colony. 


VI. 


The  Strange  Antics  of  Pokabontas. 


IN  the  years  to  come,%when  this  fair  land 
of  America,  as  the  new  fashion  is  to 
call  Virginia,  shall  be  full  of  men  and 
women,  and  great  cities  rise  in  the  wilds, 
—  which  doubtless  will  come  to  pass  in 
the  long  hours  of  the  future,  —  these  first 
struggles  of  the  Virginia  colony  for  mere 
existence  will  touch  all  hearts.  I,  who 
write  this,  cannot  draw  the  moving  picture 
of  that  time,  since  't  is  only  to  tell  of  my 
lady  Pokahontas  that  I  write  this  relation. 

She  was  ever  in  and  out  of  the  James 
town  palisade  with  her  wild  train,  gambol 
ling  mirthfully  on  the  grass,  and  looking 
at  all  things  around  her  with  curious  eyes. 
What  I  marvelled  at  most  was  the  child 
and  the  woman  mixed  in  her.  Sure  never 
was  such  a  mingling;  but  Smith  had  said 
truly.  It  was  more  a  maiden  of  seventeen 
than  a  child  that  I  saw  in  these  days  ;  and 
never  in  any  of  her  plays  and  antics  was 
there  any  freedom  or  immodesty.  She  was 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  37 

decently  clad  in  her  robe  of  birds'  feathers,  ne  gilded 
and  wore  a  girdle  from  the  waist  below  the 
knees.  On  her  feet  were  beaded  mocca 
sins,  as  these  people  call  their  shoes,  and 
never  saw  I  the  maid's  shoulders,  which  she 
kept  wrapped  to  the  chin  in  her  soft  robe. 
Above  showed  a  dusk  face  with  a  small 
mouth,  and  a  nose  very  slight  and  straight. 
Her  eyes  were  black,  and  had  an  extreme 
softness  ;  her  hair  of  the  same  colour  and 
with  never  a  curl  in  it,  in  which  drooped 
down  a  plume  of  white  feathers,  her  badge 
of  princess. 

She  soon  caught  a  few  words  of  Eng 
lish,  and  then  learned  wondrous  fast.  She 
spoke  with  a  curious  lisp  or  murmuring  of 
the  lips,  but  not  ungainly.  She  and  Smith 
much  affected  each  other,  and  always  the 
same  glow  was  on  her  face  as  she  looked 
at  him  ;  but  in  his  I  could  read  nothing. 
A  mild  sweetness  and  kindness  was  all  writ 
there,  however  I  sought  to  find  more. 

It  was  not  a  time  for  dalliance  when  men 
were  muttering  and  falling  into  mutiny, 
and  the  strong  hand  was  all  that  kept  the 
factions  from  springing  and  grappling  each 
with  other.  Newport's  ships  were  now  to 
return,  and  a  craze  seized  on  the  company 
that  had  found  in  the  neighbourhood  of 


38  My  Lady  Pohahontas 

i  go  with      Jamestown  a  yellow  dirt  they  thought  to  be 

Smith  on  his          .  .          _^    .      , 

Chesapeake  gold.  Pokahontas  told  us  t  was  nought, 
but  Newport  and  the  rest  lost  their  heads. 
There  was  no  talk  or  hope  but  to  dig  gold, 
wash  gold,  refine  gold,  and  load  gold. 
Smith  went  about  telling  them  hotly  he 
was  not  enamoured  of  their  dirty  skill,  and 
murmuring  at  their  neglect  of  all  business 
to  fraught  the  drunken  ship  with  their 
gilded  dirt.  These  words  and  others  he 
said,  breathing  out  his  passion  ;  but  New 
port  would  not  listen,  and  sailed  away 
with  a  cargo  of  the  fantastical  dirt,  which, 
once  at  London,  was  found  worthless  (as 
Pokahontas  said),  and  mere  dirt  indeed. 

This  and  other  old  recollections  come 
back  as  I  now  write,  —  with  the  voyages 
on  the  Chesapeake,  where  Smith  with  four 
teen  men  in  his  open  barge  sailed  three 
thousand  miles.  We  stopped  to  visit  on 
the  Eastern  Shore  the  laughing  King  of 
Accomac,  who  told  us  of  two  dead  chil 
dren  there,  on  whose  faces  whoso  looked 
presently  fell  down  and  died.  Then  we 
sailed  to  the  head  of  the  bay,  and  back 
up  Patawamak ;  thence  to  Rappahannock, 
where  the  savages  came  to  fight  us,  carry 
ing  boughs  of  trees  to  cover  them,  and  I 
was  shot  with  an  arrow,  and  all  bloody,  and 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  39 

nigh  having  my  brains  beat  out.     So  back  wt  make 
around  Point  Comfort,  where  a  dread  tern-  president. 
pest  struck  us,  and  we  could  only  see  the 
shore  in  the  dark  night  by  the  lightning 
flashes :  but  God  preserved  us,  in  his  great 
mercy,  and  we  came  back  to  Jamestown, 
where  all  were  starving,  and  the  new  Pres 
ident,  Ratcliffe,  was  feasting  on  the  stores, 
and  building  himself  a  palace  for  pleasure 
in  the  woods  near.* 

This  so  moved  our  dead  spirits  that  we 
presently  deposed  him,  and  made  Smith 
President,  who  set  all  to  work,  stopping  the 
pleasure  house,  and  warning  Master  Rat 
cliffe  at  his  peril  to  hold  his  peace  and 
labour  with  the  rest. 

Then  came  Newport  back  from  England, 
and  would  crown  the  Emperor  Powhatan 
under-King,  subject  to  his  Majesty,  which 
was  done.  Never  was  sight  so  curious. 
But  to  speak  first  of  our  strange  meeting 
again  with  Pokahontas. 

Captain  Newport,  a  vain,  idle  man,  fear 
ful  of  his  shadow  (he  blackened  us  to  the 
people  in  London,  for  which  we  loved  him 
little),  sent  Smith  with  a  party  to  Werowo- 
comoco  to  summon  the  Emperor  to  James- 

*  Todkill  was  one  of  the  authors  of  the  detailed  relations  of  the 
Chesapeake  voyages  in  the  General  History  of  Virginia,  New 
England,  and  the  Summer  Isles,  1624. 


40  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

A  Dian  of  town  to  be  crowned.  Arriving  at  York 
River,  which  we  crossed  in  Indian  boats,  we 
found  the  Emperor  away,  and  sent  word  we 
had  come,  and  so  waited.  We  were  in  a 
broad  field  nigh  some  woods,  seated  by  a 
fire,  when  sudden  came  a  bruit  from  the 
woods,  a  hideous  noise  and  shrieking,  that 
we  ran  to  arms,  looking  for  an  attack.  But 
no  one  designed  attacking  us.  Instead 
came  Pokahontas  flitting  like  a  fawn  out 
of  the  woods,  and  running  to  Smith  seized 
his  hands  and  laughed,  with  her  head  bent 
sidewise. 

"  They  shall  not  hurt,"  she  lisped  in  her 
poor  English.  "  If  they  hurt,  he  shall  kill 
Matoaka."  * 

As  she  said  "he,"  she  touched  Smith 
lightly  on  the  breast  and  then  touched  her 
own  bosom.  She  was  truly  a  wondrous 
sight.  She  had  small  deer  antlers  on  her 
head,  and  a  robe  of  otter  skin  around  her 
shoulders  ;  another  fell  from  her  waist  near 
to  her  beaded  moccasins  on  her  small  feet. 
At  her  back  was  a  quiver  of  arrows,  and 
she  had  a  small  cedar  bow  in  her  hand. 
Flourishing  this  around  her  head,  she  flit 
ted  back,  still  laughing,  to  the  woods,  and 

*  This  was  the  real  name  of  Pokahontas,  which  her  family  had  not 
divulged  to  Smith. 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  41 

soon  appeared  a  party  of  girls,  nigh  a  score,  Her  merry 

,      ,  .  i      •       i       T  •     i      i    masquerade. 

singing  and  dancing,  their  bodies  painted 
with  many  colours,  with  girdles  of  green 
leaves  from  the  waist  down,  all  horned  like 
Pokahontas,  and  flourishing  swords  and 
potsticks.  Never  was  such  a  sight  !  I 
near  died  for  laughing.  The  fair  fiends 
rushed  out  with  most  hellish  shouts  and 
cries,  and  danced  in  ring  about  the  fire, 
their  hands  joined  together,  and  all  laugh 
ing.  Then  after  an  hour  spent  in  this 
masquerade,  they  danced  away  and  were 
lost  to  sight,  Pokahontas  going  last,  and 
looking  over  her  shoulder. 

Smith  claps  his  hands  and  says  to  me  :  — 

"  Well,  what  think  you  of  this,  Anas  ? 
Lift  up  your  testimony  against  these  hea 
then,  my  worthy  Puritan  !  " 

"The  heathen  are  not  ill  favoured,"  I 
say,  "but  sing  in  excellent  ill  variety." 

"A  truce  to  growls,  Anas!"  Smith 
says  laughing;  "here  they  come  as  be 
fore." 

With  that  appeared  Pokahontas  at  the 
head  of  her  maidens,  but  divested  of  their 
strange  devices,  with  intent  to  invite  us  to 
supper,  which  was  spread  in  a  neighbour 
ing  arbour.  Here  the  Indian  girls  flocked 
around,  handing  venison  in  wooden  plat- 


42  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

The  Emper-  ters,  crowding  and  crying  most  tediously 
"  Love  you  not  me  ? "  to  Smith  and  all. 
Whereat  Pokahontas  was  much  displeased 
and  rated  them  soundly  for  their  ill  man 
ners  ;  which  I  could  see  from  her  flushed 
face  and  royal  air  as  of  a  princess,  though 
I  understood  not  her  barbarous  language. 
After  supper  we  were  conducted  to  our 
lodgings,  —  Indian  girls  carrying  torches 
before  us,  and  then  going  back,  —  and  so 
rested  in  sound  sleep  after  this  laughing 
masquerade.* 

The  Emperor  comes  next  day  and  re 
ceives  Smith,  holding  out  both  hands,  with 
many  pretty  discourses,  to  renew  old  ac 
quaintance.  He  sat  on  his  bed  of  mats  with 
a  handsome  young  woman  at  his  head  and 
feet,  and  around  him  were  his  warriors  and 
wives,  their  heads  and  shoulders  painted 
red.  I  much  marvelled  at  this  savage  state 
and  his  kingly  words  when  Smith  invited 
him  to  Jamestown  to  be  crowned.  He 
would  not  go  thither. 

"  If  your  King  hath  sent  me  presents," 
he  said  by  his  interpreter,  "  I  also  am  a 
King  and  this  is  my  land.  Eight  days  I 
will  stay  to  receive  them.  Your  Father 

1  Todkill  is  the  author  also  of  the  description  of  this  scene,  in  the 
Genera?  History. 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  43 

Newport  is  to  come  to  me,  not  I  to  him,  h  crowned 

T-,  .    ,  .   .  T  under-King 

nor  yet  to  your  Fort ;  neither  bite  I  at 
such  a  bait." 

To  this  he  held  and  would  not  come  ; 
so  we  went  back,  and  Newport  returned 
to  Powhatan  with  us,  and  the  savage  was 
crowned  King.  I,  Anas  Todkill,  Puritan, 
and  not  so  much  a  king  lover,  laughed 
mightily.  Sure  never  was  stranger  sight. 
The  old  heathen  accepted  the  bason  and 
bedding  sent  him  and  was  pleased,  I  could 
see,  to  have  them.  But  when  Captain 
Newport  essayed  to  put  a  scarlet  cloak 
on  him  he  grunted  and  resisted.  Much 
worse  was  it  when  they  signed  to  him  to 
bend  his  knee  that  he  might  be  crowned. 
He  would  not.  He  rose  straighter  and 
looked  scornful,  but  at  "last  his  werowan- 
ces  leaned  on  his  shoulders  and  he  was 
forced  to  kneel  and  be  crowned.  As  they 
put  it  on  his  head  a  sign  was  made  and  a 
volley  was  fired  ;  whereat  the  new  king 
started  up  and  would  have  caught  up  his 
royal  hatchet,  thinking  it  an  attack. 

Then  I,  who  had  stood  by  laughing,  be 
gan  to  laugh  more  than  ever.  The  old 
Emperor  went  up  to  Newport  and  congrat 
ulated  his  kindness,  then  looking  very  sol 
emn  he  gives  Newport  his  old  shoes  and 


44 


My  Lady  Pokabontas 


We  go  back,  raccoon  skin  robe  as  a  present   to  King 
James,  in  return  for  his  crown  ! 

Ere  we  went  back  to  Jamestown  I  saw 

no  further  of  Pokahontas,  and  was  not  to 

see  her  again  till  past  New  Year,  when 

she  showed  me  her  brave  heart 

and  made  me  what  I  am,  and 

will  be,  until  death  takes 

me,     her    faithful 

liegeman. 


UNIVERSITY 


VII. 

Of  God's  Mercy  to  Ms  Unworthy 
through  the  Blessed  Pokahontas. 

IT  comes  about  in  this  wise.  Now  New- 
port,  after  that  vain  march  to  the  Mon- 
acan  country,  goes  back  to  England,  tak 
ing  with  him  Ratcliffe  and  Wingfield  ;  and 
the  snow  was  falling,  and  the  colony  had 
no  corn.  We  must  have  that,  or  the  men 
starve,  and  needs  must  when  the  Divell 
drives. 

No  persuasion  can  persuade  Smith  to 
starve,  and  he  goes  down  to  Nansemunge, 
and  says,  "  Give  me  corn  ;  "  but  the  heathen 
will  not.  They  have  orders  (they  say)  from 
King  Powhatan  to  refuse  us  ;  and  seeing 
plainly  what  this  means,  Captain  Smith 
will  go  and  see  the  King,  with  fifty  good 
shot. 

Powhatan  himself  gives  reason  for  com 
ing.  Pie  sends  inviting  Captain  Smith, 
and  praying  he  will  send  men  to  build  him 
a  house,  and  certain  Dutch  men  go  by  the 
land  way,  and  Smith  by  water.  So  with 


*  of 


46  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

Are  warned  Master  George  Percy,  brother  of  his  lord- 

on  tbc  ivciy  of 

Powbatan's    ship    the    Earl    of    Northumberland,    and 

intent. 

other  brave  gentlemen  and  fighters  to  the 
number  of  fifty,  Smith  sails  in  the  Pinnace 
round  Point  Comfort  into  the  great  York 
River,  saying  to  me,  as  we  pass,  "  Here  is 
a  spot  for  a  York  Town  which  may  per 
chance  one  day  be  built  and  grow  to  be 
famous." 

But  ever  as  we  sail,  stopping  here  and 
there  to  see  the  Indian  people,  comes  a 
warning  what  Powhatan  would  do.  The 
King  of  Worrosqueake  says  to  our  Cap 
tain  :  — 

"  Captain  Smith,  you  shall  find  Pow 
hatan  to  use  you  kindly,  but  trust  him  not." 

"  I  will  not,"  says  our  Captain  in  his  sol 
dier  way. 

"And  be  sure,"  says  the  King,  "he  have 
no  opportunity  to  seize  your  arms,  for  he 
hath  sent  for  you  only  to  cut  your  throats." 

The  Captain  thanks  him  for  his  good 
counsel,  but  says  he  will  see  to  that ;  and 
so  we  leave  them.  Certes,  Smith  was  glad 
to  know  of  the  Emperor's  intent.  It  seemed 
ill  going  to  put  his  hand  on  one  who  in 
vited  him  to  Werowocomoco  (the  heathen 
capital).  But  sith  the  host  would  cut  the 
throat  of  the  guest,  there  was  no  such  harm 


My  Lady  Pohabontas  47 

in  doing  the  same  (perchance)  to  him,  like-  HOW  smith 

dealt  with 
Wise.  him. 

So  the  Pinnace  goes  on,  a  little  past 
the  time  of  Christmas,  and  sails  up  York 
River,  with  the  barge  following,  to  Wero- 
wocomoco,  which  in  their  tongue  signifieth 
the  "  Chief  Place  of  Council." 

Powhatan  meets  Smith  in  his  great  wig 
wam,  but  not  with  pretty  discourse  to  re 
new  old  acquaintance  as  before.  Why  had 
we  come  ?  he  says  in  a  muttered  voice, 
with  cold  looks.  He  had  no  corn.  His 
people  had  none.  But  for  forty  swords  he 
would  supply  three  hundred  bushels. 

Smith  standing  in  the  midst  shakes  his 
head  ;  swords  were  a  bad  traffic  with  so  sub 
tle  an  enemy.  So  they  argue  to  and  fro  but 
come  to  no  conclusion,  till  in  the  end  Pow 
hatan  promises  the  corn  if  the  Englishmen 
will  come  ashore  for  it  without  their  arms, 
which  frighted  his  poor  people.  Then  his 
meaning  was  plain ;  and  Smith,  seeing  the 
Emperor  did  but  trifle  the  time  to  cut  his 
throat,  goes  to  the  door  of  the  wigwam  and 
fires  off  his  pistol,  which  was  the  signal  to 
come  on  shore  and  surprise  Powhatan. 

Sudden  the  barge  was  heard  breaking 
the  ice  on  the  way  from  the  Pinnace,  for 
the  river  was  frozen  near  half  a  mile  from 


48  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

My  Lady's     either  shore.   Thereat  Powhatan  took  fright 

pitiful  heart.  .  .    ,  ,  r    .  . 

and  was  quickly  gone  out  of  his  wigwam  ; 
and  the  savages  made  an  attack,  which  but 
for  Smith  had  surely  ended  us.  He  cut 
out  his  way,  sword  in  hand,  and  we  follow 
ing  him  gained  the  shore,  where  we  in 
trenched  till  morning. 

Now  followed  a  new  proof  of  the  love  of 
that  blessed  Pokahontas.  The  night  was 
extreme  cold,  and  we  sought  a  ruined  wig 
wam  near,  to  watch  in  till  daylight.  But 
Powhatan  meant  to  destroy  us,  and  would 
have  done  so  but  that  the  Eternal  All-see 
ing  God  did  prevent  him. 

Sudden  in  the  dark  night,  through  the 
irksome  woods,  came  his  dearest  jewel 
and  daughter,  Pokahontas.  She  told  us 
with  streaming  tears  that  her  father  would 
send  us  supper,  and  while  we  were  eat 
ing  fall  on  and  slay  us.  This  she  said  in 
her  broken  words,  with  a  trembling  voice, 
holding  Smith's  hand,  as  though  loth  to 
let  it  go  lest  some  mishap  befall  him. 

I  well  remember  his  face  flushed,  and 
taking  a  trinket  from  his  breast  he  would 
give  it  her  ;  but  she,  putting  it  by,  said 
with  tears  that  her  father  would  kill  her  if 
he  saw  her  wear  it  ;  and  so,  covering  her 
wet  eyes,  ran  away  by  herself  as  she  came. 


miscarries. 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  49 

The  warning  was  not  too  soon.  Ere  Their  plot 
long  came  lusty  fellows  with  platters  of 
bread  and  venison,  but  making  wry  faces 
at  the  smoke  of  our  lighted  matchlocks, 
which  made  them  sick  (they  said).  Smith 
smiled  thereat,  with  a  wistful  look,  think 
ing  doubtless  of  Pokahontas  and  what  she 
told  him  ;  and  first  making  the  lusty  sav 
ages  eat  of  the  victuals  lest  they  be  poi 
soned,  he  sent  them  back  to  Powhatan 
with  the  message  he  need  give  himself  no 
more  trouble  :  his  plot  was  discovered. 

So  no  more  that  night  wherein  Smith 
talked  apart  with  me  as  I  watched. 

"  Is  she  not  a  true  angel  now,  Anas  ? 
What  think  you  ? "  he  says ;  "  know  you  a 
court  lady  who  had  thus  stolen  through 
the  dark  night  to  save  her  friend,  —  nay  the 
enemy  of  her  people  ?  I  who  am  only  a 
poor  soldier  protest  to  you  on  my  honour, 
friend,  that  sith  God  thus  watches  over  us 
I  think  this  enterprise  be  fated  to  turn  out 
to  his  glory  and  the  good  of  his  people." 

"  Doubtless  't  is  so  fated,  worthy  Cap 
tain,"  I  reply,  "  if  they  do  not  slay  us  on 
the  morrow." 

"  They  will  not  do  that,"   he  says  ;   "but 
more   force  would   be   better.     What   say 
you  to  find  your  way  to  Jamestown  for  an- 
4 


jo  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

My  deadly  other  score  of  men  ?  It  is  three  hours  to 
daylight,  and  you  may  come  back  past 
noon." 

I  rose  up  at  the  word  and  was  rowed 
over  in  the  barge,  and  then  set  out  walking 
quickly  and  reached  Jamestown  a  little  past 
daylight.  Ill  news  awaited  me.  The  day 
before,  Master  Scrivener,  the  new  Coun 
cillor,  had  been  overturned  in  a  boat  and 
drowned  with  nine  others  in  James  River. 

Natheless  the  men  returned  with  me, 
and  we  got  back  to  York  River  a  little  past 
noon,  but  no  Pinnace  there,  nor  Smith. 
Where  had  they  gone  ?  With  much  doubt 
lest  they  destroy  me,  I  take  a  canoe  I 
find  and  cross  to  a  clump  of  bushes,  think 
ing  to  meet  some  friendly  Indian  who 
would  tell  me  ;  when  sudden  a  company 
rushes  out  and  seizes  me,  and  carries  me 
to  Powhatan,  who  was  sitting  as  before  in 
his  great  wigwam. 

His  face  was  dark,  and  from  the  first  I 
saw  I  was  to  be  slain.  Smith  had  got  his 
corn  and  gone  away  to  Pamunkey,  and  the 
Emperor  was  raging  at  what  had  befell 
him. 

Soon  I  found  that  my  end  was  to  be  the 
same  as  that  meant  for  Smith  ;  a  stone  was 
brought  in,  but  a  sign  from  the  Emperor 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  57 

stopped  them.     Pokahontas  was  leaning  on  My  Lady 

,,   .  ,  ,   .  ,     ,  saves  me 

his  knees  talking  low  to  him,  and  he  was  from  death. 
listening.     Soon  he  said  some  words  to  his 
people,  and  I  was  taken  away  to  a  far  wig 
wam,  where  a  guard  was  put  over  me. 

The  black  night  now  comes,  and  I  give 
myself  over  for  lost,  —  doubtless  they  will 
brain  me  as  I  sleep.  Sudden  steals  in, 
through  the  guards,  who  did  not  stop  her, 
the  blessed  Pokahontas  ;  who  told  me  in 
her  broken  English  that  I  was  to  be  put 
to  death  the  next  day  ;  she  had  begged  her 
father  to  spare  me  till  then,  that  I  might 
pray  to  my  Gods  ;  but  now  she  would  save 
me. 

Thereat  wondering,  I  obeyed  her  sign, 
and  followed  her  out  of  the  wigwam.  The 
guards  were  her  two  brothers,  one  of  them, 
Nantaquaus,  the  comeliest  savage  I  ever 
beheld,  and  kind,  like  his  sister.  These 
two  had  plotted  my  rescue,  and  went  a 
little  way  with  me  in  the  woods,  meaning 
to  whoop  when  I  was  safe  away,  feigning 
that  I  had  escaped  out  of  the  wigwam. 

Pokahontas  told  me  where  to  find  Smith, 
—  who  had  indeed  left  word  for  me,  —  and 
went  full  two  miles  with  me  and  Nanta 
quaus.  Then  she  took  my  two  hands,  and 
bending  close  to  me,  — 


5-2  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

"  Fare  you  well,"  she  says.     "When  you 

to  James-  .  * 

town.  see  him  who  calls  me  '  Child/  tell  him  why 
will  he  come  and  make  war  on  my  father, 
who  loves  him  much,  but  must  destroy 
him." 

At  this  tears  came  into  her  eyes,  and 
she  went  off  with  Nantaquaus  in  the  dark. 
When  I  had  gone  some  miles  further,  I 
heard  a  halloo  toward  Werowocomoco,  and 
knew  how  Nantaquaus  was  giving  news  of 
my  escape.  I  hurried  on,  and  a  little  past 
midday  came  to  where  the  York  River  di- 
videth  itself  into  two  gallant  branches. 
Travelling  on  I  at  last  found  Smith,  at  a 
time  when  he  had  seized  the  Chief  Ope- 
chancanough  by  his  scalplock  in  the  midst 
of  his  braves.  He  ransomed  himself  with 
corn,  and  so  embarking  we  sailed  down 
again,  and  found  the  men  who  had  come 
with  me ;  and  having  now  sufficient  corn, 
returned  to  Jamestown.* 

Is  it  so  much  to  wonder  at  that  thence 
forth  I  loved  the  maid  who  had  saved  me 
in  my  dire  extremity  ?  Sure  the  man 
would  be  ingrate  whose  heart  melted  not 
at  such  goodness.  And  so  I,  who  had 
laughed  at  Smith  for  calling  the  blessed 

*  Todkill  is  one  of  the  writers  of  the  relation  of  these  events,  also, 
in  the  General  History  ;  but  arrived  too  late,  it  seems,  to  witness  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  of  Smith's  exploits. 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  53 

maiden    his    guardian    angel,    now   bowed  My  saint. 
down  before  her,  and  though  no  vain  and 
foolish  Papist,  but  a  good  Puritan  of  Puri 
tans,  made  her  my  Saint  Pokahontas. 


Peace  at  last 
with  the 
Heathen. 


VIII. 

How  my  Captain  lovetb  the  Child  of  a  Cursed 
Generation. 

ALL  this  spring  of  the  year  1609, 
dear  Pokahontas,  as  the  old  soldiers 
would  still  call  her,  comes  and  goes  every 
four  or  five  days  to  and  fro  between  James 
town  and  her  father's  habitation  on  the 
great  York  River.  For  the  heathen  were 
now  at  peace  with  us,  fearing  Smith's 
strong  arm,  and  the  country  was  as  safe 
and  free  to  us  as  to  themselves.* 

Pokahontas,  as  of  old,  was  in  and  out 
with  us  in  these  days,  watching  over  us, 
and  bringing  us  food.  She  was  still  the 
angel  of  peace  ;  and  when  Smith  would 
put  in  irons  some  Indian  thieves  who  stole 
our  turkeys,  the  King  Powhatan  sends  his 
daughter  Pokahontas,  who  prays  Smith  to 
spare  the  thieves  ;  whereat  he,  with  sweet 
looks,  and  bowing  down  before  her,  says  it 
is  freely  granted,  and  whatsoever  more  she 
asks,  "  for  her  sake  only." 

*  This  is  the  statement  of  the  General  History  also. 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  55 

Now  (to  put  off,  for  a  little  time,  further  My  cap- 
discourse  of  Pokahontas),  this  Smith  was  di^uru. 
at  last  the  head  of  all  things.  I  have  seen 
many  great  and  valiant  soldiers,  but  this 
was  the  greatest  So  brave  a  spirit  dwelt 
in  him,  and  so  great  were  the  ends  he  had, 
that  no  man  seeing  him  could  keep  from 
loving  him  and  looking  to  him  as  their 
true  leader.  He  was  everywhere,  toiling 
for  the  good  of  the  colony,  and  often  ex 
claimed  to  me  (who  was  his  poor  friend) 
what  a  shame  it  was  the  London  idlers, 
with  their  cards  and  dice,  would  not  come 
hither  and  do  men's  work  for  God's  honour 
in  the  new  land. 

"  Think.  Anas  !  "  he  saith,  walking  in  the 
plain  called  Smithfield,  near  the  palisade, 
and  looking  out  on  the  broad  river,  "  who 
can  desire  more  content,  that  only  hath 
small  means,  but  only  his  merits  to  advance 
his  fortunes,  than  to  tread  and  plant  the 
ground  he  hath  purchased  by  his  own  cour 
age  ;  planting  and  building  a  foundation 
got  from  the  rude  earth  by  God's  blessing, 
by  his  own  industry,  and  without  preju 
dice  to  any  ? " 

Then  his  brave  face  kindles  up,  and  he 
seems  to  look  far  in  the  future  time. 

"  What  so  truly  suits  with  honour,"  he 


56  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

My  heart      exclaims,  "  as  the  discovering  things  tm- 

burnctb.  . 

known,  erecting  towns,  peopling  countries, 
informing  the  ignorant,  reforming  things 
unjust,  and  bringing  these  poor  heathen 
people  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ  and 
humanity  !  "  * 

I  would  you  had  seen  his  face  glow  as 
he  thus  spake  in  his  brave  voice.  Certes 
there  was  a  look  of  prophecy  in  the  sol 
dier's  eyes,  as  though  he  saw  somewhat  in 
the  future  of  this  America  hid  from  others  ; 
and  when  he  speaks  the  great  words 
"  Christ  and  humanity  "  my  heart  burneth. 
Sure  (I  say  to  myself),  this  man  belongeth 
to  the  coming  time,  wherein  he  looks, 
when  others  will  build  on  his  foundation  ! 

For  without  him  this  great  enterprise 
had  surely  failed  and  come  to  nought.  He 
it  was  that  inspired  all  hearts,  and  would 
make  the  sluggards  obey  and  work.  Never 
was  man  milder  to  his  old  soldiers,  but 
not  to  the  unruly  gallants.  He  summons 
these  by  beat  of  drum,  and  saith  to  them 
sternly  :  — 

"  He  that  will  not  work  shall  not  eat ! 
You  see  now  that  power  resteth  wholly 
in  myself.  Therefore  he  that  offendeth, 

*  The  same  words  may  be  found  in  Smith's  relation  of  New  Eng- 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  57 

let  him    assuredly  expect  his  due  punish-  HOW  smith 

„  dealt  with 

ment  I  the  unruly 

Thereat  many  murmur,  bending  fierce  gc 
looks    on    our   Captain  ;    but  he,   growing 
ever  sterner,  and  with  a  harder  voice  and 
look :  — 

"  Dream  no  longer  of  this  vain  hope 
that  Powhatan  will  supply  corn,  nor  that 
I  will  longer  forbear  to  force  you,  or  pun 
ish  you  if  you  rail  !  If  I  find  any  more 
runners  off  with  the  Pinnace,  let  him  look 
to  arrive  at  the  gallows." 

He  striketh  his  sword  hilt  thereupon 
and  crieth :  — 

"  I  protest  by  that  God  that  made  me, 
since  necessity  hath  no  power  to  force  you 
to  gather  for  yourselves,  you  shall  not  only 
gather  for  yourselves  but  for  those  that 
are  sick,  —  they  shall  not  starve  ! " 

With  such  mild  words  Smith  persuadeth 
them,  though  much  against  their  will ; 
and  they  plant  corn  for  the  coming  har 
vest.  He  even  makes  tliem  work  at  other 
work,  building  a  place  of  retreat  against  In 
dian  war  :  the  Fort  on  a  ridge  above  Ware 
Creek,  which  emptieth  itself  into  York 
River.  We  go  there  with  tools,  and  find  a 
place  on  a  steep  hill  hard  to  approach  and 
easy  to  be  defended ;  and  hew  out  brown 


5<5  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

Our  piace  of  stone  rock,  and  build  the  Place  of  Retreat, 

Retreat.  . 

having  no  mortar.  But  ere  it  was  finished 
the  want  of  corn  stayed  it  ;  and  so  we  re 
turned  to  Jamestown.* 

So  did  our  worthy  Captain  rule  the  tuf- 
taffty  gallants  and  set  'em  to  work,  with 
that  maxim,  "He  that  will  not  work, 
neither  shall  he  eat ! "  They  were  hard 
to  rule,  but  had  found  one  who  was  their 
master.  Natheless,  other  things  moved  the 
good  Captain  in  these  times  of  trial  ;  and 
often  I  see  him  go  apart,  and  look  out 
on  the  river,  leaning  his  face  on  the  hilt 
of  his  broadsword.  At  such  times  he 
heaves  a  sigh,  seeming  much  troubled  in 
his  mind ;  and  looks  over  his  shoulder 
toward  York  River,  whither  he  oft  would 
go  on  this  or  that  business  (with  the  Em 
peror}.  Once,  wandering  on  the  river  bank, 
I  see  him  leaning  thus  on  his  sword  when, 
sudden  steals  up  behind  him  my  little 
Lady  Pokahontas,  who,  coming  to  the  Fort 
and  not  finding  him  there,  goes  to  seek 
him,  and  is  close  to  him  before  he  sees 
her. 

Sure   never   was    more   gracious   image 

*  The  "  Place  of  Retreat "  here  described  by  Todkill  was,  it  seems, 
the  curious  structure  called  the  u  Stone  House,"  still  standing  on 
Ware  Creek  not  far  from  York  River.  It  is  probably  the  oldest  build 
ing  in  the  United  States. 


My  Lady  Pokaloontas  59 

(fie  !  Anas,  thou  a  good  Puritan  ! )  than  the  The  two 
little  maiden  of  fifteen  as  she  steals  up  * 
softly  to  his  shoulder.  It  was  spring  now, 
and  in  place  of  her  robe  of  down  of  the 
wood-pigeon  she  is  clad  in  a  garment  woven 
of  the  ncmminaw  grass,  which  is  a  close, 
bright  grass  wherewith  the  men  weave  their 
stick  bucklers.  It  was  wrapped  around 
her  shoulders  modestly  to  the  chin,  and 
her  round  neck  came  out  of  it,  as  she 
looked  with  laughing  eyes  over  her  shoul 
der,  bending  her  head  forward.  On  her 
slight  arm  holding  the  robe  at  the  throat 
was  a  coral  bracelet,  and  a  white  feather 
was  in  her  black  hair.  Even  in  the  woods 
some  fifty  yards  from  her  I  could  see  her 
gracious  face  and  the  fond  look  on  it.  Sure 
the  swimming  eyes  fixed  on  the  young  sol 
dier  were  full  of  an  extreme  strange  ten 
derness.  She  touched  him  and  he  turned 
suddenly  ;  whereat  I  thought  he  would  kiss 
her,  but  he  did  not.  His  face  flushes  and 
he  stands  looking  at  her,  holding  her  hands 
but  not  speaking  a  word.  Then  they  walk 
along  the  shore,  slowly,  each  beside  other ; 
and  I  hear  the  low  voices  mixing  with  the 
lap  of  the  waves,  but  catch  nothing. 

When  they  come  back  to  the  Fort  I  see 
a  bright  light  in  my  little  lady's  eyes  ;  and 


60  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

back  the  soldier's  face  glows  too,  as  he  looks  at 
her.  I  know  he  loves  her  now,  and  she 
loves  him,  whatever  comes  of  it;  since 
something  in  the  faces  of  us  poor  crea 
tures  tells  our  thoughts.  'T  was  truly  a 
wondrous  sight  to  see  this  hardy  soldier 
melt,  all  of  a  sudden,  as  the  slim  form  of 
the  girl  was  there  beside  him.  Her  slen 
der  shape  was  like  a  reed  of  the  river 
bending  in  the  wind,  and  her  head  leaned 
toward  him  as  the  sunflower  leaneth  to  the 
sun.  There  were  tears  in  the  fawn  eyes 
( I  think),  but  a  sudden  splendour  in  the 
soldier's;  and  he  needs  must  go  a  long 
way  with  her  and  her  train,  through  the 
woods,  toward  the  York. 

They  went  away  in  that  same  fashion 
in  the  slant  sunlight,  still  looking  each  at 
other,  and  'twas  night  when  he  comes 
back.  I  meet  him  by  the  palisade  and  say 
with  laughter :  — 

"  Thou  art  a  prisoner  at  last,  worthy  Cap 
tain  ! " 

At  that  he  muses  a  little  with  a  flush  on 
the  tanned  cheeks,  and  then  laughs  too. 

"  Would  to  heaven  I  could  see  thee,  Anas, 
in  my  state ! "  he  says,  and  leaves  me. 

Often  now,  in  the  after  time,  I  bethink 
me  of  those  old  days  at  Jamestown,  when 


now. 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  61 

these  two  mortals  loved  each  the  other.    It  /  s«  aii, 
was  not  so  strange  they  should.    This  great 
soldier  was  comely  and  gallant,  and  yet  un 
der  thirty  years  ;  and  my  Lady  Pokahontas 
was  nigh  fifteen  and  a  woman  now.     The 
Indian  girls  bloom  early,  and  oft  marry  in 
girlhood ;   but  had  this  difference  of  age 
been  greater,  certes  love  made  them  equals, 
—  him  a  youth  and  her  a  maid  that  had 
come  to  the  time  to  marry.     Howe'er 
that  be,  I  know  he  loved  her,  this 
half-open  bell  of  the  woods ; 
whereof  see  in  this  fur 
ther  relation  if   I 
speak   the 
truth. 


IX. 

Hawks  and  Cormorants  (so  I  call  Such). 

OUDDEN  the  bright  days  of  wander- 
O  ing  with  Indian  maids  on  river  banks, 
or  in  the  woods,  come  to  an  end. 

A  bruit  reaches  Jamestown  in  these 
spring  days,  and  moves  many  ;  it  is  brought 
by  a  trading  ship,  whereof  the  commander 
is  a  certain  Captain  Argall,  or  Captain 
Buccaneer.  He  has  come  cruising  about, 
to  traffic  with  Indians,  and  fish  ;  but  if  a 
merchant  ship  is  seen  he  is  ready  to  traffic 
with  that  too  ;  only  he  makes  such  bargain 
as  he  will,  by  talking  with  cannon,  before 
looking  at  the  flag  the  barque  runs  up. 

What  this  Captain  Argall  says  to  Smith 
now  when  he  comes  ashore  at  Jamestown 
is  this :  — 

"Thou  art  no  longer  President  of  Vir 
ginia,  worthy  Captain.  The  Company  hath 
removed  thee." 

"  Removed  me  ?  Well,  for  what  ?  "  says 
Smith  shortly. 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  63 

Argall  looks  at  him  keenly  from  under  Smith's  an- 

J        -  swer  to  the 

the  bushy  eyebrows  of  his  hawk  face.  Hawk. 

"For  hard  dealings  with  the  poor  Indi 
ans,  and  not  sending  the  ships  fraughted." 

Thereat  Smith  bursts  out :  — 

"Hard  dealings  with  Indians!  —  on  the 
York  River,  doubtless !  I  that  fed  the 
starving,  when  this  alone  was  left,  am  to 
bear  the  blame  of  that !  " 

"  So  it  seemeth,"  Argall  answers. 

"  And  for  not  f raughting  the  ships  !  —  I 
that  told  your  man  Newport  to  take  cedar, 
not  the  gilded  dirt!" 

Hawk  Argall  thereat  laughs,  but  looks 
sidewise  at  Smith's  face,  I  see. 

"  To  the  fiend  with  your  Company  and 
all ! "  cries  the  soldier,  striking  his  sword 
hilt.  "  I  like  not  your  look,  Master  Argall, 
—  beware !  Thou  art  one  of  these  people  : 
shall  I  tell  you  what  they  are  ?  Newport 
is  a  talebearer  that  hath  a  hundred  pounds 
a  year  to  go  to  and  fro  carrying  lies.  Wing- 
field  is  a  fat  fool,  Archer  is  a  mutineer.  As 
to  Ratcliffe,  he  is  a  counterfeit  impostor, 
whom  I've  sent  home  lest  my  soldiers 
should  cut  his  throat  and  so  end  him  ! "  * 

The  Captain  speaks  hotly  and  Master 

*  These  expressions  are  so  similar  to  Smith's  in  his  Rrtde  An 
swer  sent  to  London  as  to  afford  a  striking  proof  of  Todkill's  ac 
curate  memory. 


64  My  Lady  Pokdhontas 

Their  talk     Argall  says  it  is  time  for  him  to  go  back 

ends.  i  •        i  . 

to  his  ship. 

"  Well,  this  concerns  me  not,  Captain/' 
he  says  as  he  goes,  "  but  what  I  say  is  true. 
My  Lord  de  la  Ware  is  coming  as  Governor 
General,  with  a  fleet  of  ships  and  half  a 
thousand  settlers.  By  now  he  has  sailed 
from  England,  and  your  friends  —  I  would 
say  these  worthies — Newport,  Archer,  and 
Ratcliffe  are  with  him.  Bend  no  wrathful 
looks  on  me,  worthy  Captain  ;  I  have  no 
part  in  it.  To  tell  you  a  secret,  I  am  bent 
on  running  a  cargo  of  African  negars  into 
Virginia ! "  * 

Thereat  he  laughs  low  and  departs  on 
his  business,  not  to  come  back  till  after 
times,  when  he  plays  a  bad  game  with  his 
hawk  face  and  wary  eyes  in  the  Virginia 
Colony. 

Now  the  day  soon  cometh  when  this 
great  Captain  Smith  will  go  away  from  us  ; 
but  before  I  tell  of  that,  hear,  in  few  words, 
what  happens  to  him  in  this  spring,  and  to 
the  men  who  built  Powhatan  his  chim 
ney. 

One  bright  morning  Smith  goes  forth  to 
the  Glass  House,  which  is  in  the  woods,  a 

*  The  cargo  was  landed  by  accident  in  the  Bermudas  instead  of 
Virginia. 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  65 

bow-shot  or  more  from  the  palisade  (we  are  smith  is  at- 
trying  glass  there),  when  sudden  he  is  at 
tacked.  A  huge  Indian  leaps  on  him  and 
they  clutch  and  fall  in  the  river,  where 
each  would  drown  the  other.  But  Smith 
is  too  much  for  him.  He  throttles  him 
and  drags  him  ashore,  where  he  would  have 
struck  off  his  head  with  his  falchion  ;  but 
the  Indian  begs  his  mercy.  If  Smith  will 
spare  him  (he  says)  he  will  tell  who  sent 
him. 

Smith  says  well,  and  hears  all :  it  was 
the  men  at  Werowocomoco  sent  to  build 
the  Emperor's  house  who  would  make  him, 
Smith,  a  prisoner  (for  some  slight),  and 
yield  him  up  to  Powhatan. 

While  they  talk  so  by  signs  and  some 
words,  they  are  at  the  palisade,  where 
Smith's  old  soldiers,  hearing  all,  are  in  a 
great  fury. 

"I  will  go  cut  their  throats  before  the 
face  of  Powhatan ! "  cries  Master  George 
Percy ;  *  and  others  say  they  will  go  with 
him. 

But  Smith  will  not,  and  the  Indian  gets 
off,  and  the  throats  are  safe,  but  not  their 
brains.  In  the  very  next  year  when  my 

*  The  same  words  are  attributed  to  Percy  in  the  Getteral  His 
tory. 

5 


66  My  Lady  Pokdbontas 

ne  English  Lord  la  Ware  comes  as  Governor,  these 
same  men  offer  Powhatan  to  come  to 
Jamestown  and  make  the  Lord  la  Ware  his 
friend.  Thereat  the  Emperor  grunts  and 
ends  all  in  a  word. 

"  You  that  would  betray  Captain  Smith 
to  me,"  he  says,  "  will  surely  betray  me  to 
this  great  lord." 

With  which  words  he  orders  their  brains 
to  be  beat  out,  which  is  done  ;  and  so  they 
ended. 

Now  nought  but  this  is  worthy  to  be 
set  down  in  my  relation  of  the  doings  at 
Jamestown  in  the  spring  days  of  1609. 
Hawk  Argall  sails  away,  and  the  place  is 
well  rid  of  him ;  and  so  the  days  pass  on, 
and  the  summer  blooms,  and  the  August 
month  comes,  and  with  it  the  English 
fleet  whereof  Argall  spake. 

The  English  fleet  ;  but  how  sorry  a 
sight !  As  the  ships  toil  up  the  great  river 
and  come  to  anchor  before  Jamestown,  they 
are  well-nigh  skeleton  ships.  For,  passing 
the  Azores  and  sailing  westward,  a  fierce 
hurricane  had  struck  them  ;  and  we  heard 
how  it  wracked  them,  tearing  the  sails  and 
wrenching  the  timbers.  One  was  lost, 
and  the  Admiral's  ship,  the  Sea-  Venture, 
is  driven  toward  the  Isle  of  Devils  and 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  67 

no  doubt  lost  too.  A  bad  business,  for  on 
the  Sea- Venture,  with  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men  and  women,  sailed  the  Lieutenant 
Governor,  Sir  Thomas  Gates,  and  the  Ad 
miral  and  the  Vice  Admiral,  Sir  George 
Somers  and  Captain  Newport,  with  the 
Letters  Patent  ;  the  Lord  la  Ware  re 
maining  in  England. 

So  no  new  government  yet  for  this  ill- 
starred  Virginia  !  But  certain  people  com 
ing  in  the  ships  mean  to  see  to  that.  The 
worn  hulks  spit  out  their  load  of  cormo 
rants,  —  and  lo !  here  is  Ratcliffe  and  all 
the  old  crew.  They  have  been  to  London 
whispering  to  the  Company,  and  blacken 
ing  Smith  and  his  old  soldiers.  These 
would  seize  the  country,  divide  it,  and 
set  up  for  themselves.  Smith  is  a  tyrant 
who  oppresses  the  poor  savages,  and  will 
send  home  no  cargoes  ;  so  the  Company 
say  the  wrong  doer  shall  go. 

Ratcliffe  comes  on  shore  and  boldly  says 
he  represents  the  Governor,  and  Smith  must 
yield  to  his  authority.  Then  the  evil  day 
comes,  and  the  Fort  is  torn  with  factions. 
To  and  fro  goes  Ratcliffe,  in  and  out  of 
the  Tavern,  drinking  deep,  and  telling  the 
new  men  Smith  is  a  tyrant  and  deposed 
by  the  Letters  in  the  Sea-  Venture.  More, 


68  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

HOW  they      Smith's  time  is  nigh  expired,  and  he  would 

would  trifle  .  .         .  .  , 

with  the  seize  authority  anew  ;  putting  whoso  an 
gered  him  in  the  stocks  or  whipping  them. 
So  Ratcliffe  talks  everywhere  and  there 
with  forms  a  faction  ;  and  the  days  go 
by  hotly  (for  late  summer  is  come  now), 
and  Smith  knows  not  what  to  do,  and  ex 
claims  :  — 

"  The  London  Company  will  have  none 
of  me,  and  strikes  me  down,  but  I  will  rule 
these  sluggards  !  " 

It  was  not  a  time  for  love  dreams  and 
going  to  the  York  River  (to  see  the  Em 
peror}  now  !  Had  Smith  raised  so  much 
as  his  finger,  the  Indians,  much  more  his 
old  soldiers,  had  marched  on  the  rioters  ; 
but  he  would  not.  More  than  once  came 
Pokahontas,  and  found  him  ill  at  ease, 
knitting  his  brows  and  breathing  out  his 
passions  ;  but  ever  the  brows  would  un- 
knit,  and  the  sweet  look  come  back  to 
him,  and  he  would  talk  with  her  in  a  low 
voice,  looking  toward  England. 

Soon  Ratcliffe  and  the  unruly  crew 
thought  to  openly  beard  his  authority.  But 
it  was  ill  trifling  with  that  lion,  who  but 
kept  his  claws  from  them  for  the  peace 
of  the  Colony.  They  would  take  the  rule 
whether  or  no,  saying  Smith  was  no  longer 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  69 

President ;  and  he,  putting  his  clutch  on 
Ratcliffe,   drags  him   bodily  to  the   Fort,  £/°r 
where  he  claps  him  in  irons. 

Thereat  all  quiets  down,  and  Smith  is 
master  of  all  things.  But  he  is  weary  and 
sick  at  heart,  with  a  great  anger  and  dis 
gust.  After  all  his  toils  and  sufferings 
for  the  Virginia  Colony,  the  London  peo 
ple  disown  him. 

"  I  will  no  more  of  them,  Anas ! "  he  ex 
claims  to  me,  striking  his  sword  hilt.    "  I 
will  put  my  commission  beneath  my  heel 
and  stamp  on  it !    But  first  I  will  go 
home  and  face  the  right  honour- 
ables  with  their  liar  Newport 
and  show  the  truth.     If 
they  listen  not,  Eng 
land    at    least 
shall   hear 
me!" 


X. 


/  go  once  more  with  my  Captain  to  tbe  Place 
of  Retreat. 

ne  two  a$     TV  T  OW   to    tell    of   the   last   scenes    of 

before. 


Smith's  stay  in  Virginia,  and  his  piti 
ful,  brave  struggle  with  the  unruly  people. 

But  first  of  another  matter  ;  for  ever 
comes  to  me  the  thought,  here  in  my  home 
in  Kent  in  old  England,  "  Thou  art  writing 
not  of  Virginia,  Anas,  so  much  as  of  that 
blessed  Pokahontas  !  and,  though  thou  tell 
of  other  things  and  people,  it  behooves  thee 
ever  to  come  back  to  this  angel  and  dis 
course  of  her."  So  now  a  brief  relation  of 
what  happeneth  at  the  Place  of  Retreat  on 
Ware  Creek,  nigh  the  York  River. 

One  day  of  late  summer  Pokahontas 
comes  to  Jamestown,  and  she  and  Smith, 
standing  on  the  platform  of  the  Fort  near 
the  cannon,  are  long  in  talk.  But  ever 
some  one  comes  with  this  or  that  he  must 
see  to,  so  that  now  and  again  he  loseth 
patience.  When  the  Lady  Pokahontas  goes 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  77 

away  with   her   wild   train   in    the  woods,  Smith  would 
Smith  calls  me  to  him  and  says  :  — 

"Wilt  thou  go  on  a  journey  with  me, 
Anas  ? " 

"  A  journey?  "  I  say. 

"  On  the  morrow.  Time  presses.  Soon 
I  will  be  gone,  and  yet  I  have  somewhat 
to  say  to  somebody.  Wilt  thou  go  with 
me  ? " 

He  spake  with  a  wistful,  earnest  look 
and  I  say : — 

"  To  the  world's  end.  It  were  little  to 
do  for  one  who  hath  saved  my  life  in  the 
Transylvania  wars.  But  whither  ?  " 

"  Thou  shalt  see.*  Now  farewell,  Anas  ; 
I  have  work.  This  cat's-paw  Martin  hath 
fled  from  Nansemunge  distraught  with  fear, 
leaving  his  company ;  and  the  men  at  the 
Falls  are  in  combustion.  Soon  I  must  go 
thither.  To-morrow  elsewhere,  —  and  thou 
with  me." 

With  which  he  leaves  me,  and  at  day 
light  I  feel  a  hand  on  my  shoulder  where  I 
sleep  in  my  hut. 

"  Rise,  Anas  !  "  says  a  voice,  and  start 
ing  up  I  behold  my  Captain  in  brave  ap 
parel  girt  with  his  sword. 

"  Come,"  he  says  in  earnest  tones,  "  and 
ask  nothing." 


72  My  Lady  Pokdhontas 

we  go  to  Then  I  follow  him,  catching  up  as  I  go 
somewhat  of  bread  and  meat,  for  the  Tod- 
kills  have  ever  been  keen  for  provant. 

Not  a  word  speaks  the  Captain  as  we  go 
out  of  the  palisade  where  the  first  light  of 
the  sunshine  is  on  the  reed  thatches  of  the 
cabins.  None  is  astir  save  the  guard  at 
the  Fort,  who  salutes  the  President ;  and 
so  we  push  in  the  woods,  and  he  leads  the 
way  toward  York  River. 

Soon  I  know  whither  we  go.  This  is 
the  path  to  the  Place  of  Retreat  on  the 
ridge  above  Ware.  We  follow  it  through 
the  forest,  wading  at  times  through  little 
streams  of  water,  and  hearing  the  birds 
sing ;  when  having  marched  long,  we  see 
the  laurels  and  the  half-built  fort  on  the 
wild  ridge. 

The  Captain  has  said  little  to  me  on  the 
way,  seeming  lost  in  sorrowful  thought. 
Now  he  points  and  says :  — 

"  I  shall  see  her  here  to-day,  Anas." 

Thereat  his  voice  sinks  low,  and  he 
draws  a  long,  deep  breath  that  is  piteous 
to  listen  to. 

"  They  would  still  irk  me  yesterday, 
and  there  was  no  opportunity  to  have  full 
speech  with  her,"  he  says  in  the  same 
voice.  "  I  am  going  away,  and  certain 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  73 

things  must  be  spoken.     So  she  will  meet  ne  some- 
me   here,  she   says,  at   this   hour  to-day. 
See,  she  is  coming  !  " 

His  face  glowed  as  he  spoke,  and  he 
pointed  to  a  light  skiff  with  two  in  it  com 
ing  up  Ware  stream.  An  Indian  youth 
was  paddling  the  skiff,  and  one  I  knew  for 
Pokahontas  was  standing  at  the  prow. 

Often  now  I  close  my  eyes  and  think  of 
that  sight  and  of  what  followed  —  two  peo 
ple  sitting  on  a  stone  by  the  Ware  fort  with 
eyes  fixed  each  on  other.  I  heard. nought 
that  was  said  and  would  not,  since  't  was 
not  my  business.  Going  apart  on  the  wild 
height  whereto  the  approach  was  only  by  a 
rugged  defile  amid  laurels  and  evergreens, 
I  talked  by  signs  with  him  in  the  boat,  who 
was  Pokahontas's  brother  Nantaquaus  ;  the 
manliest,  comeliest  youth  I  ever  saw  for  a 
savage.  I  knew  not  his  barbarous  lingo, 
but  natheless  saw  he  was  a  young  prince. 
From  the  first  he  loved  Smith  and  was 
best  beloved  of  the  Lady  Pokahontas. 

The  sun  was  going  away  to  the  woods 
when  the  talk  of  Smith  and  the  maid 
ended.  He  comes  to  meet  us,  and  clasps 
the  hand  of  Nantaquaus  and  says  :  — 

"We  will  go,  Anas." 

Then  he  turns  his  head  and  looks  pite- 


J4  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

neir  part-  ously  toward  Pokahontas,  who  bends  down 
and  weeps.  Ere  long  the  maid  and  her 
brother  have  passed  to  their  canoe  and  are 
paddling  away  ;  the  last  we  see  of  her  she 
is  bent  and  seemeth  to  be  weeping  still. 

Smith  looks  at  the  boat  till  the  woods 
take  it  and  it  is  no  more  seen. 

"  Come  Anas,"  he  says  in  his  deep  voice, 
which  falters  a  little,  "this  hath  well-nigh 
made  a  child  of  me." 

So  we  go  back  to  Jamestown,  and  all  the 
way  the  worthy  Captain  speaks  no  word. 


XL 


We  lose  Urn  whose  Loss  was  our 


WHAT  followeth  now  is  the  last  that  The  evii 
was  seen  of  Captain  Smith  in  Vir-  di 
ginia  ;  and  I,  who  relate  it,  make  the  rela 
tion  so  brief  as  I  can,  finding  no  heart  to 
make  it  other,  or  dwell  at  length  on  it. 

A  great  sinking  at  heart  and  distaste  of 
all  things  had  come  over  Smith.  He  was 
weary  and  irate  ;  all  things  galled  him. 
For  this  man,  though  the  mildest  and 
sweetest  to  friends  and  worthy  people,  was 
a  lion  when  aught  thwarted  him.  He 
would  do  what  was  right,  not  counting 
cost  to  himself  ;  when  others  would  do  the 
wrong,  and  brave  him  —  woe  to  such  !  His 
heavy  wrath  and  heavier  hand  would  certes 
fall  on  them. 

Now,  his  wrath  and  grief  were  great. 
The  Company  had  disowned  him.  He  was 
cast  away  like  a  worthless  husk.  His  com 
mission  was  suppressed  he  knew  not  why  ; 
himself  and  his  old  soldiers  to  be  rewarded 


76  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

smith's  dire  he  knew  not  how ;  and  new  authority  to 
lie  in  he  knew  not  whom,  —  certes  it  should 
not  lie  in  Ratcliffe !  But  the  end  had 
come.  He  could  struggle  no  more;  and 
thereupon  he  sets  all  in  order,  for  peace  or 
war,  to  leave  the  country. 

Little  keeps  him,  and  the  ships  will  sail 
soon.  All  things  are  going  to  confusion. 
Martin  has  fled,  distraught  with  fear,  from 
the  Company  in  Nansemunge,  and  West's 
people  at  the  Falls  are  in  wild  disorder. 
Smith  will  see  to  these  and  then  take  him 
self  away.  So  he  draws  back  the  company 
from  Nansemunge,  and  then  for  the  Falls. 

He  goes  thither  in  his  barge  with  a 
picked  company,  and  I  go  with  him.  Never 
saw  I  man  so  cool,  with  so  set  a  purpose 
in  his  face.  The  vain  people  had  begun 
their  plantation  at  the  Falls  on  marshy 
ground,  and  Smith  says  it  shall  net  be. 
When  they  resist  and  fight,  he  seizes  the 
leaders  and  plants  the  company  on  the  hill 
*  of  Nonsuch,  where  Powhatan  once  had  his 
summer  capital. 

Then  cometh  the  end.  As  Smith  sails 
down  James  River  again,  a  bag  of  powder 
explodes  in  his  barge.  His  clothes  catch 
fire,  and  he  is  so  tormented  by  the  furious 
flame  he  leaps  in  the  river,  and  scarce  his 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  77 

old  soldiers  drag  him  into  the  boat  again  A  black 


traitor 


and  take  him  to  Jamestown.  would 

Then  follows  what  was  burned  deep  into  dl 
my  memory  and  still  moves  me.  Smith 
was  lying  on  his  bed  tormented  by  his  hurt, 
and  the  factions  roared  around  him,  and 
would  seek  his  death  where  he  lay  wounded. 
One  traitor  comes  into  his  room  in  the  Fort 
and  would  murder  him  ;  he  puts  a  pistol  to 
his  breast,  but  Smith,  lying  still  and  quiet, 
looks  him  steadily  in  the  eye,  so  that  he 
turns  away  and  durst  not.  I,  Anas  Tod- 
kill,  saw  this  with  my  eyes  and  took  charge 
of  that  traitor,  dragging  him  out  by  the  col 
lar  and  hurling  him  against  the  Fort  gate 
so  he  reeled,  and  went  away  staggering  in 
his  gait  and  muttering.* 

As  he  goes,  comes  in  some  one  covering 
her  face,  and  shaking  with  sobs,  —  my  little 
Lady  Pokahontas.  But  she  cannot  see 
him  then.  He  has  fainted  from  his  tor 
ment,  and  ere  night  she  goes  back  weep 
ing  with  her  wild  train  saying  she  will  re 
turn  on  the  morrow.  As  she  went  out  of 
the  Fort  sobbing,  she  looked  up  as  though 
to  see  something  that  was  passing  in  the 
clouds,  and  said,  in  a  low  voice,  "  God  ! 

*  Ample  evidence  is  to  be  found  in  the  old  relations  that  Todkill 
does  not  exaggerate  here.  Smith's  old  soldiers  offered,  at  a  sign 
from  him,  to  cut  his  adversaries'  throats ;  but  he  refused  to  make  it. 


7#  My  Lady  Pokahonlas 

He  make*      God  !    God  ! "    to   my  amaze  ;   and  then  I 
7ea%u°.      knew  how  in  their  talks  Smith  had   per 
suaded  her  to  be  a  Christian. 

All  that  night  I  watched  by  him,  and  at 
dawn  comes  the  shot  of  a  culverin :  the 
ships  are  going  back  to  England,  and 
Smith  is  firm  to  go  with  them.  His  work 
is  ended  in  Virginia,  if  not  forever,  for 
this  time.  The  London  people  will  have 
none  of  him  ;  he  will  tell  good-bye  to  his 
old  soldiers.  Captain  Percy,  a-  resolute 
gentleman,  is  adjudged  to  act  as  President, 
and  Smith  is  carried  on  board  on  the  backs 
of  his  old  soldiers,  pale  and  faint.  The 
sailors  bustle  and  make  ready  the  ships  ; 
but  an  hour  before  the  sailing  comes  the 
blessed  Pokahontas  for  a  last  greeting. 

She  comes  into  the  cabin  where  I  am 
standing  by  Smith,  and  her  sorrowful  face 
lights  up  the  mean  place.  The  month 
was  September,  and  she  was  wrapped  in 
a  robe  of  furs,  out  of  which  rose  the  fair 
flower  of  her  small  head,  with  wan  cheeks, 
woe-begone  and  moist  eyes  like  the  heart's- 
ease.  But  I  saw  there  was  no  heart's- 
ease  in  the  fair  bosom  of  that  maid.  Her 
face  streamed  with  tears,  and  going  to 
Smith's  couch  she  knelt  down  and  took  his 
thin  hand  and  leaned  her  wet  cheek  on  it 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  79 

Thereat  a  flush  comes  to  the  soldier's  face,  My  Lady  and 

,   .  her  soldier 

and  I  who  had  looked  on  at  this  strange 
meeting  durst  not  stay,  but  went  out 
trembling,  leaving  them  alone,  each  with 
other. 

Near  an  hour  they  were  talking  to 
gether  in  low  words  by  themselves.  Then 
the  culverins  roared  out  giving  the  signal 
to  weigh  anchor,  and  seeing  the  ship's 
Captain  going  to  Smith's  cabin  I  got  be 
fore  him,  with  fixed  intent  that  no  cold 
eye  should  pry  into  this  last  greeting.  I 
opened  the  door,  and  never  shall  I  forget 
what  I  there  saw.  My  Lady  Pokahontas 
was  kneeling  with  her  arms  around  him, 
and  his  head  on  her  shoulder.  Both  were 
pale,  and  as  I  came  in  their  lips  met  in  a 
long  kiss.  Then  the  maid  turned  away 
from  him,  hiding  her  wet  face  in  her  fur 
robe,  and  with  a  great  sob  of  farewell  went 
out  of  the  ship  and  so  to  shore. 

Scarce  seeing  his  face  for  tears,  I  my 
self  look  my  leave  of  him.  With  a  last 
grasp  of  the  hand  I  parted  from  that  true 
soldier,  and,  losing  him,  felt  that  all 
things  well-nigh  went  with  him.  What 
shall  I  say  of  him  we  thus  lost,  save  that 
truth  and  justice  were  his  guides  ;  that  he 
hated  sloth  and  baseness  worse  than  dan- 


8o  My  Lady  Pokdhontas 

Our  captain  g£T  and  death  ;  that  he  would  send  his 
we™?™-  men  nowhere  that  he  would  not  lead  him 
self  ;  that  he  would  never  see  us  want,  and 
would  rather  want  himself  than  borrow, 
or  starve  than  not  pay  ;  that  he  loved  ac 
tion  more  than  words,  and  hated  falsehood 
more  than  death ;  whose  adventures  were 
our  lives,  and  whose  loss  was  our  deaths. 

I    looked   after   the   white   sails    of   the 

ship  still  they  were  gone  from  view  toward 

the  wide  ocean.     Then  I  come  back  slow 

to  the  dreary  palisade,  emptied  of  all  joy 

and  satisfaction  in  my  life.     When  I 

look  around  to  see  where  is  my 

Lady  Pokahontas  she  is  not 

there  now,  but  is  gone 

away  to  her  York 

woods  weeping, 

they  say. 


XIL 

How  Master  Ratcliffe  was  a  Dead  Corpse  on 
the  York  River. 


I 


ANAS  TODKILL,  who  write  this  true  The  heathen 

.       ,     -         .          .    .  murtber  us. 

relation,  look  back  with  amaze  now  on 


the  days  that  followed  in  Virginia.  Yonder 
shines  the  peaceful  sunshine  on  the  hop- 
fields  of  Kent;  my  little  girl  is  standing 
a-tiptoe  to  pull  the  spring  buds  and  put  in 
her  curls  ;  the  black  sky  and  thunder  of  old 
days  in  far  Virginia  seem  a  dream  to  me. 

Soon  with  Smith's  going  the  thunder 
comes  and  the  lightning  too.  Losing  him 
we  lose  all  things  ;  yea,  his  greatest  ma- 
ligners  could  now  curse  the  evil  fate  that 
took  him  away  from  us.  (God  forgive  thee, 
Anas  !  Didst  thou  say  fate  ?  Nay,  't  was 
Providence,  that  ordereth  all  things,  and 
would  have  us  feel  the  rod  for  our  back- 
slidings.)  Sure  we  feel  it  now  ;  for  the 
savages  no  sooner  understood  our  Captain 
was  gone,  than  all  revolted  and  did  spoil 
and  murther  all  they  encountered.  It  was 
pitiful  ;  and  now  see  from  this  what  God 
meaneth  when  he  sendeth  a  true  man  to 
6 


82  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

sick  Master  TU\Q.  While  this  Smith  stayed  with  us, 
the  land  reposed  and  the  people  were  fed. 
The  savages  would  not  lift  hand  in  that 
time,  but  said  each  to  other,  "  Smith  is 
coming  !  "  did  a  stick  crackle.  But  't  was 
far  other  now.  Nought  but  blows  and 
arrows  and  hands  imbrued  in  our  blood, 
when  we  go  to  them  for  succour.  All 
things  fall  to  confusion ;  the  fierce  fac 
tions  fight  day  and  night  in  the  palisade  ; 
the  people  are  starving  and  have  no  head. 
Good  Master  Percy,  the  new  President, 
cannot  hold  the  reins.  He  is  sick  and 
feeble  and  would  fain  go  back  to  England  ; 
and  the  wild  horses  —  so  I  call  the  unruly 
gallants  led  by  Ratcliff  —  run  off,  dragging 
all  things  after  them,  till  the  crash  comes. 

But  far  worse  than  all  was  the  Starving 
Time  that  now  cometh,  whereof  my  heart 
shrinks  from  the  relation.  To  end  it  ere 
it  begin  in  earnest,  Ratcliffe  goes  to  York 
River  to  get  corn  from  Powhatan.  I  go 
with  him,  and  what  follows  is  my  last  sight 
of  the  Lady  Pokahontas  for  many  a  day. 
Since  Smith  went  she  comes  no  more  to 
Jamestown,  and  sends  nought  whereof  to 
eat,  in  osier  baskets  or  other  sort.  The 
old  soldiers  marvel  thereat,  and  say,  Where 
is  the  blessed  Pokahontas  ?  Why  comes 


My  Lady  Pohahontas  83 

she  not  ?  But  she  will  not  come  ;  to  see 
her  once  more,  I  must  go  to  her. 

Now  this  Ratcliff e  takes  thirty  good  shot, 
and  would  pass  over  me  as  one  not  well 
affected  to  him ;  but  I  offer,  and  he  says, 
content,  though  he  scowls  at  me  under  his 
bushy  brows.  He  knoweth  well  I  loved 
Smith,  his  enemy,  and  had  certes  gone 
away  with  him,  but  for  staying  behind  to 
nurse  my  young  cousin,  Henry  Spilman, 
nigh  slain  in  the  fight  at  Nonsuch.  So 
Ratcliffe  says  I  may  go  if  I  will,  and  turns 
his  back  on  me,  muttering  :  — 

"We  want  no  whining  Puritans  and 
psalm  -  singing  rogues  for  this  business  ! 
Powhatan's  time  is  come,  and  the  end  of 
him  at  hand." 

"  Are  you  sure  of  that,  good  Master  Rat 
cliffe  ? "  I  say  ;  whereat  he  wheels  sudden. 

"What  mean  you?  "  he  shouts.  "If  your 
Captain  Smith  could  wrest  all  from  him, 
where  were  the  trouble  to  do  it  once  more  ? " 

Thereat  a  wicked  smile  (I  fear)  rises  to 
my  face,  and  I  would  have  said,  "  Thou  art 
other  than  Smith,"  but  say  it  not,  lest  he 
tell  me  I  shall  not  go,  and  so  I  see  not  my 
lady  again.  I  am  quiet ;  and  so  at  dawn  of 
day  we  set  out  with  the  thirty  shot,  march 
ing  through  the  woods  to  York  River. 


84  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

He  sees  not  What  followeth  will  not  fill  much  time  in 
the  snare.  ^  ^  reiation>  Cartes,  God  had  doomed 
this  Ratcliffe,  and  even  the  heathens  of 
Greece  and  Rome  said  their  vain  gods 
first  made  mad  them  they  would  destroy. 
We  come  to  York  River,  and  Ratcliffe 
sends  one  of  his  men  across  to  the  King 
to  ask  audience,  in  a  canoe  we  find  there. 
In  an  hour  comes  back  the  man  and  saith 
Powhatan  would  gladly  do  so  ;  he  loveth 
the  English  and  would  succour  them,  but 
their  arms  fright  his  poor  people. 

"  A  snare  !  "  I  cry  sudden  ;  "  he  would 
destroy  thee,  Master  Ratcliffe  !  " 

But  he  scowls  at  rne  and  says  :  — 

"  Peace !  I  would  have  no  talk  from 
brawlers  ! " 

"  Natheless  !  "  — 

"  Peace !  what  would  you  ?  I  will  arrest 
thee  for  a  brawling  knave  !  " 

Whereat  I  say  no  more,  but  listen,  and 
Ratcliffe  talks  with  his  people.  They  say, 
not  go  ;  but  he  differeth  from  that.  Why 
not  ?  Since  the  guns  fright  the  poor  peo 
ple  he  will  leave  them  and  cross  as  friends. 
When  he  says  that,  I,  Anas  Todkill,  who 
would  not  seem  faint-hearted,  whip  my 
hunting  knife  in  my  breast,  and  hide  it 
there  for  fear  I  want  it ;  and  then  we  see 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  85 

canoes  crossing.    The  King  hath  sent  Cap-  Ratcii/e  i. 

slair, 
nigh 
him. 


. .  rr  ,    slain,  and 

tain  Ratchne  wherewith  to  come  over  and  ni 


talk  with  him. 

That  talk  was  short.  Ratcliffe  says  he 
will  go,  and  every  man  lays  down  his  arms, 
and  goes  in  the  canoe,  and  reaches  the 
further  shore.  That  was  the  end. 

Sudden  the  woods  swarm  with  heathen, 
and  they  shout  and  rush  on  us,  slaying 
all  that  they  encounter.  Sure  never  was 
bloodier  work,  and  the  poor  people  fell 
down  dead,  pierced  with  Indian  arrows  or 
beat  to  death  with  clubs,  holding  up  hands 
over  their  heads  and  crying  for  mercy, 
which  comes  not,  sith  God  has  doomed  this 
Ratcliffe  to  death,  and  nigh  all  them  that 
came  with  him. 

Now  to  speak  of  one  Anas  Todkill,  who 
had  a  knife  by  good  luck,  and  cut  three 
heathens  with  it  so  that  they  died  ;  for  I 
drave  it  in  them  and  they  fell  down  with 
blood  gushing,  and  hands  tearing  up  grass. 
But  what  was  two  or  three  to  kill  when 
many  hundreds,  nay  thousands,  more  were 
there  ?  I  say  :  — 

"  Thou  art  dead  and  gone,  Anas  !  but  re 
member  thou  art  a  Christian  and  these  are 
heathens.  Sith  thou  canst  not  convert 
them  thou  must  murther  them,  lest  they 
murther  thee." 


86  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

My  lady  of  With  that  I  drive  at  them,  hooking  my 
left  arm  in  young  Henry  Spilman's,  and 
fight  through  to  the  woods,  and  leap  a 
stream  to  the  further  bank,  where  the 
bushes  are  close,  and  fall  in  the  tangle- 
wood.  Sudden  a  voice  cries  my  name,  and 
starting  up  I  see  my  Lady  Pokahontas. 

She  clasps  me  close  and  pulls  me  deep 
in  the  thicket,  panting  and  weeping.  Her 
doeskin  robe  is  all  torn  by  briers,  so  that 
her  lissom  body  is  near  bare,  but  she  heeds 
it  not,  nor  the  boughs  catching  her  black 
hair,  which  falleth  down  to  her  waist.  In 
her  broken  English  words  she  crieth  there 
is  no  time  to  stay.  I  must  run  to  the 
river  and  swim  for  my  life  ;  they  will  soon 
be  on  me. 

"Then  I  am  dead,  Master  Todkill," 
says  young  Henry,  "for  I  have  never  yet 


swum." 


"I  will  not  leave  thee  !  "  I  cry  ;  "  since 
we  have  fought  together,  needs  must  we 
die  in  company." 

But  the  blessed  Pokahontas  says  quick 
she  will  save  him,  and  drags  him  away. 
But  as  she  doeth  so  she  comes  close  to  me, 
very  pale,  and  says  in  a  whisper  : — 

"  He  is  gone,  then  ?  " 

I  know  what  she  meaneth,  and  say  yes. 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  87 

Then  she  turns  her  head  and  looks  over  /  escape  to 
her  shoulder   toward   England,  with  wide 
eyes  and  tears  streaming. 

"  He  will  come  back  some  day,"  she 
saith  low  in  her  Indian  tongue.  "  I  know 
not  when,  but  some  day.  All  is  weary, 
I  would  go  from  hence.  But  do  thou  go  ! " 

A  yell  hurries  me.  The  blessed  damozel 
rims  off  with  poor  distraught  Henry  and 
is  hid  by  the  thicket,  and  I  get  to  York 
River,  and  am  far  from  shore  swimming 
lustily  ere  they  see  me.  Then  a  race  for 
my  life,  for  canoes  come  after  me  with 
long  paddle  strokes,  and  the  red  heathen 
stand  up  yelling,  —  but  they  catch  me  not. 
Ere  their  arrows  strike  me  I  gain  the  south 
shore  and  plunge  in  the  woods,  where  I 
never  stop  running  till  I  come  again  to 
Jamestown. 

So  ended  Captain  Ratcliffe  and  his  thirty 
shot,  all  but  two.  That  old  disturber  and 
mutineer  is  a  dead  corpse  on  the  York 
River,  and  Master  Hamor  writ  truly  his 
epitaph,  that  he  was  "  scarce  worthy  of  re 
membrance  but  to  his  dishonour."  * 

*  This  account  by  Todkill  of  Ratcliffe's  death  agrees  with  that  in 
other  old  relations,  where  it  is  stated  that  only  two  escaped.  "  Poka- 
hontas,  the  King's  daughter,"  says  another  narrative,  "  saved  a  boy 
called  Henry  Spilman  that  lived  many  yeeres  after,  by  her  meanes, 
amongst  the  Patawomekes."  Todlall's  is  the  only  full  account  of  the 
expedition. 


XIII. 

We  go  through  the  Wilderness  to  the  Land 
of  Canaan. 

The  starv-    "NT  OW  see  what  that  meaneth  ;  we  all 
mg  Time.      J_  \|    £ound  tjie  want  Of  Captain  Smith,  yea 

his  greatest  maligners  could  now  curse 
his  loss.  This  poor  dead  Ratcliffe  ever 
irked  him,  saying  he  was  the  true  leader, 
not  Smith ;  and  yet  behold  how  Provi 
dence  fashioneth  things.  These  two  men 
tried  the  same  business  of  getting  corn 
from  Powhatan  ;  and  one  was  fooled  and 
got  none,  only  his  death,  when  the  other 
(Smith)  got  the  corn  and  his  life  too. 

But  it  were  idle  to  speak  more  hereof. 
The  woful  Starving  Time  is  coming  now. 
Who  can  tell  of  it  without  sighs  and  tears, 
and  the  conclusion  making  God's  mercy 
manifest !  Now  there  was  no  more  corn, 
and  men  died  of  mere  famine,  looking  with 
dumb  amaze  each  in  other's  eyes.  When 
we  went  to  the  Paspaheghs  praying  suc 
cour,  we  had  nothing  for  our  pains  but  mor 
tal  wounds  with  clubs  and  arrows.  At  last 


My  Lady  Pohabontas  89 

all  was  eaten,  hogs,  sheep,  and  horses,  and  HOW  a  man 
what  lived,  —  nought  was  spared.  Acorns,  wife  and  we 
walnuts,  and  berries,  and  a  few  fish,  was 
now  all ;  we  did  eat  the  skins  of  horses, 
and  at  last  one  another.  We  slew  a  savage 
and  buried  him,  but  the  poorer  sort  did  dig 
him  up  and  eat  him ;  and  so  did  divers 
one  another  boiled  and  stewed  with  roots 
and  herbs.  Yea,  one  did  kill  his  ivife>  and 
had  eat  part  of  her,  ere  we  knew  it,  for 
which  we  burned  him,  as  he  well  deserved, 
heaping  fagots  around  that  wretch  tied  to 
a  stake  in  the  street  at  Jamestown,  and  see 
ing  him  burn,  with  loud  yells,  till  he  died 
for  his  foul  murther  of  his  innocent  wife. 

This  was  that  time  which  still  to  this 
day  we  call  the  Starving  Time.  Oh,  the 
horror  of  it !  Even  now  it  comes  back  to 
me  in  a  sudden  quaking.  Of  five  hundred 
men,  women,  and  children  scarce  sixty  were 
now  alive,  and  they  poor  miserable  crea 
tures  that  prayed  for  death  to  end  their 
sufferings.  'T  was  the  bright  May  month, 
but  the  sunshine  brought  us  no  joy.  Not 
one  hour  passed  but  some  dead  body  was 
trailed  out  to  be  buried  by  them  that  nigh 
fell  in  the  grave  with  the  dead,  for  feeble 
ness.  By  the  palisade  all  were  huddled 
together  ;  men,  women,  and  children,  white 


po  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

d  an<^  &nostlike,  with  yearning  eyes  looking 
ing  the  Ad-  to  England.    The  strong  men  (once)  would 

miral  to  de 
liver  us.        gnaw  wood  and  the  grass  blades ;    and  it 

was  pitiful  to  see  the  mothers  hugging 
babes  close  to  dry  bosoms,  praying  God  to 
send  them  milk. 

Sudden,  one  day,  I  hear  a  cry  and  run 
out  of  the  Fort  (staggering  a  little,  I  think). 

"A  sail!  a  sail!"  the  babbling  voices 
say ;  and  the  crowd  totters  to  the  shore. 

"  Blessed  be  God  for  all  his  mercy  to  his 
creatures  ! "  I  say,  lifting  up  my  eyes  ;  for 
there  was  a  sail  coming  up  the  river  ;  nay, 
two,  white  against  the  fringe  of  woods. 

The  foremost  was  the  cedar  ship,  built 
by  brave  Admiral  Somers  in  the  Bermuda 
Islands,  whereon  the  Sea-  Venture  had  been 
shipwrecked  the  year  before.  This  was  the 
Deliverance  (for  which  deliverance  God  be 
thanked !) ;  and  the  other  was  the  Patience, 
built  with  bolts  from  the  wrecked  Sea-  Ven 
ture. 

So  the  white  sails  slowly  come,  and  in 
the  midst  of  a  babbling  crowd  lands  the  Ad 
miral  Sir  George  Somers,  and  Sir  Thomas 
Gates,  the  Lieutenant  Governor,  and  looks 
around  them.  Oh,  the  dreary  sight  !  The 
Jamestown  place  was  a  wreck.  The  cabins 
were  nigh  gone  for  firewood,  and  the  pali- 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  97 

sade  half  torn  down.     The  gates  swung  on  we  sail  for 
broken  hinges,  and  the  Fort  platform  scarce 
held  up  the  cannon. 

Admiral  Somers,  landing  first,  puts  his 
chin  in  his  hand  and  looks  on  with  tears. 
The  poor  people  crowd  round  him  cry 
ing,  "  Bread  !  bread  !  "  whereat  a  great  sob 
shakes  him,  and  he  gives  orders  to  his 
sailors,  who  haste  to  the  ship  to  bring  it. 
Soon  the  crowd  is  fed,  and  then  they  jostle 
and  babble  and  cry  with  one  voice,  "  Eng 
land  !  England  !  "  most  of  all  the  mothers, 
and  the  Admiral  says  they  shall  go.  In 
his  ships  he  has  but  fourteen  days'  provis 
ions,  but  he  will  try.  No,  he  will  not  de 
sert  us ;  as  God  sees  him  he  will  succour 
us.  All  shall  embark  quick,  and  a  day  is 
fixed  and  all  is  ready* 

The  sight  was  piteous,  to  see  fhese 
wretches  crowd  on  the  ships,  half  crazed 
with  joy,  and  nigh  out  of  their  heads. 
They  would  have  burned  the  cursed  place 
that  they  could  nevermore  return  to  it ; 
but  God,  who  would  not  have  this  fine 
country  unplanted  by  Englishmen,  put  it 
into  the  heart  of  the  Admiral  Somers  to 
forbid  that.  Having  buried  the  cannon  at 
the  gate  of  the  Fort,  he  posts  a  guard  on 
the  palisade  and  hurries  the  poor  people 


p2  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

The  coming  aboard.     The  drum  rolls  for  the  signal  and 
°ware.    '     all  are  shipped,  and  the  Admiral  follows. 
A  salute  is  fired  then  as  the  ships  move, 
—  farewell  to  Jamestown  ! 

But  said  I  not  that  God  would  not  have 
this  land  of  Virginia  fall  back  in  heathen 
esse  ?  Blessed  be  his  name  for  all  his 
goodness ;  for  when  the  ships  stopped  a 
night  at  Mulberry  Isle,  here  comes  at  dawn 
a  swift  barge  shooting  up  the  river,  flying 
the  English  pennon.  Thereat  a  great 
shout  rises  and  cries  of  amaze,  —  what  is 
coming?  It  is  my  Lord  la  Ware,  with 
more  ships  and  Englishmen.  He  hath 
stopped  a  little  below,  but  hearing  James 
town  is  abandoned  sendeth  his  orders  to 
go  back  there  and  await  him  ;  so  we  go 
,  back  joyfully. 

Next  day  comes  this  brave  Lord  la 
Ware  in  his  ships,  with  flags  flying,  and 
lands  on  shore,  and  kneels  down,  with  shut 
eyes,  and  prays  for  a  season ;  glad  at  heart 
he  comes  in  time  to  save  Virginia.  Then 
the  drums  roll  loud  once  more,  and  the 
church  is  open  for  service,  and  all  is  joy 
in  the  Virginia  plantation,  which  was  dead 
and  is  alive  again. 

Writing  here  in  the  after  days,  I,  Anas 
Todkill,  shut  my  eyes  as  my  Lord  la  Ware 


My  Lady  Pohahontas  93 

shut  his,  and  see  all  that  once  more.     Sure  ne  arm  of 
't  was  God's  infinite  providence  ;  and  needs 
must  his  poor  people  cast  themselves  at 
his  very  footstool  and  adore  his  goodness. 
For  had  he  not  sent   Sir  George  Somers 
from  the  Bermudas,  within  four  days  we 
had  famished  ;  and  if  we  had  set  sail  sooner 
and  launched  on  the  vast  ocean,  how  en 
counter  the  fleet   of  the    Lord  la  Ware? 
This  was  the  arm  of  the   Lord   of  Hosts, 
who  would  have  his  people  pass  the  Red 
Sea  and  wilderness,  and  then  to  pos 
sess  the   land  of    Canaan.     So  I 
say  with  the  heathen  Socra 
tes,  "  If  God  for  man  be 
careful,  why  should 
man   be   over 
distrust- 
ful?" 


XIV. 


The  Lord  la 
Ware. 


How  Some  One  did  break  a  Poor  Man  on 
the  Wheel. 

AS  I  go  back  in  memory,  and  all  these 
old  times  come  to  me,  ever  I  think, 
"  Thou  didst  set  out,  Anas,  to  discourse  of 
the  Lady  Pokahontas  only.  Who  art  thou 
to  write  histories,  whereof  thy  betters  can 
scarce  make  aught  but  lying  repertories 
nothing  worth?" 

So,  soon,  we  will  come  back  to  that 
blessed  damozel.  But  some  strange  things 
happed  before,  whereof  I  needs  must  write 
this  brief  relation,  though  some  discredit 
that  bloody  marvel  of  which  I  was  told. 
Was  it  the  High  Marshal  Dale  that  did 
it,  or  some  other  ?  Whoever  he  be,  he 
must  answer  before  the  judgment. 

Now,  not  to  tarry  long  or  discourse  of 
my  Lord  la  Ware  in  Virginia.  He  was 
a  brave  and  great  lord,  soft  of  heart,  and 
did  much  for  us.  He  stays  from  spring 
to  spring  only,  and  builds  forts  and  feeds 
his  people ;  but  for  more  supplies  sends 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  95 

Sir  George  Somers,  the  old  Admiral,  in  His  brave  at- 
his  cedar  ship  to  the  Bermudas,  where  is 
much  fruit  and  other,  with  wild  hogs  left 
there  by  the  Spaniard.  So  the  Admiral 
sails  forth  to  the  Isle  of  Devils,  not  to  re 
turn.  When  he  comes  there  and  loads  his 
ship  with  pomegranates  and  such  tropic 
stuff,  he  falls  sick,  when  he  entreats  his 
men,  like  a  valiant  Captain,  to  be  constant 
to  their  duty  and  go  back  to  Virginia. 
Then  he  dies,  but  they,  as  men  amazed, 
seeing  the  death  of  him  who  was  the  life 
of  them  all,  embalmed  his  body  and  sailed 
for  England.  Sure  that  was  a  traitorous 
act,  but  they  returned  not  to  Virginia. 
The  cedar  ship,  with  his  dead  body,  arrived 
at  White  Church,  in  Dorset,  where  by  his 
friends  he  was  buried,  with  volleys  of  shot 
and  the  rites  of  a  soldier.  So  he  ended, 
this  brave  Admiral,  that  saved  us  at  James 
town. 

Now  not  much  more  of  his  great  lord 
ship,  my  Lord  la  Ware,  who  kept  royal 
state.  He  would  still  go  to  church  with 
his  Lieutenant  Governor  and  High  Ad 
miral  and  Master  of  the  Horse  and  all  his 
brave  company,  followed  by  fifty  halberd- 
bearers  in  scarlet  cloaks.  There  he  sits 
himself  in  a  velvet  chair,  with  a  silk  cush- 


9<5  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

Their  vain  ion  to  kneel  on,  after  the  vain  Church  of 
Flower'!*  England  fashion  ;  and  the  church  is  fitted 
with  cedar  pews  and  a  walnut  table  and 
font,  and  hath  two  bells  at  the  west  end  ; 
the  whole  some  sixty  feet  long.  I,  Anas 
Todkill,  would  go  oft,  though  my  Puritan 
heart  liked  not  all  this  mummery,  least 
of  all  the  flowers  wherewith  my  Lord  la 
Ware  would  still  deck  his  church.  These 
papists'  abominations  made  my  heart  to 
burn  ;  and  oft  looking  at  the  walls,  chancel, 
and  pulpit  nigh  covered  with  red  and  white 
roses,  I  say  to  myself  :  — 

"  Away  !  thou  relics  of  a  vain  worship ! 
thou  temptations  of  the  Evil  One  !  " 

And  what  irketh  me  most  of  all  is  that 
these  Church  of  England  Virginians,  or  as 
the  new  term  hath  it  Episcopalians,  have 
nought  to  say  against  them.  Even  they 
love  these  snares  of  Satan,  and  one  says, 
laughing,  to  me  when  I  grumble  :  — 

"  Why  not  dress  the  church  with  flow 
ers,  Master  Todkill  ?  Sure  't  is  innocent, 
sith  God  made  them ;  and  if  the  Good 
Book  saith  '  all  shall  worship  Him/  why 
not  the  flowers  ?  " 

With  which  vain  talk  they  would  think 
to  persuade  Anas  Todkill,  a  good  Puritan, 
but  cannot  I 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  97 

When  my  Lord  la  Ware  falls  sick  and  The  valiant 

-.-,,,.  ,  Marshal 

goes  to  England  in  early  summer,  comes  Dau. 
the  High  Marshal,  Sir  Thomas  Dale,  a 
stalwart  ruler.  Soon  his  heavy  hand  falls 
on  the  unruly  gallants,  who  will  not  work, 
and  play  bowls  in  the  grass-grown  streets 
of  Jamestown.* 

He  is  the  master  of  the  gallants  quick  : 
they  shall  work,  and  not  be  fed  like  drones 
by  the  working  bees.  He  is  right  in  that, 
but  soon  the  valiant  High  Marshal  shows 
his  claws  in  far  other  matters.  He  would 
have  his  way  in  all,  and  the  old  soldiers 
like  not  that.  Brief,  he  brings  from  Eng 
land  his  "  Code  Martial  and  Moral,"  writ 
by  Master  Strachey,  whereby  he  can  do 
aught  he  will ;  and  when  this  pleases  few, 
and  a  company  say  this  martial  law  is  a 
thing  unlawful,  whereof  I,  Anas  Todkill, 
was  one,  comes  a  fierce  and  bloody  busi 
ness.  Jeffrey  Abbot  and  other  of  Smith's 
old  soldiers  are  arrested,  and  the  Marshal 
shoots  most  all,  and  tortures  many.f  Some 

*  The  writer  fails  to  mention  that  Sir  Thomas  Gates,  the  Lieu 
tenant  Governor,  had  been  sent  to  England,  and  that  Percy,  who  was 
left  in  charge  of  the  colony,  could  not  rule  the  "gallants."  In 
writing  many  years  afterwards  these  details  may  have  escaped  his 
memory. 

t  It  is  necessary  in  reading  this  account  to  remember  that  Todkill 
by  his  own  confession  was  one  of  the  conspirators,  and  that  his  state 
ments  are  to  be  taken  cautiously.  The  conspiracy  probably  aimed 
7 


9$  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

His  crud  have  awls  thrust  through  their  tongues, 
rotsbacf.a"  others  are  tied  by  the  thumbs  and  hoisted 
from  the  floor,  and  one  was  broke  on  the 
wheel. 

I  who  write  saw  not  this,  for  it  took 
place  inside  the  Fort,  whereof  a  guard  at 
the  door  stopped  all  who  would  enter. 
But  Jeffrey  Abbot  told  me  that  Barebones 
Prym  told  him  that  Praise-the-Lord  Wil- 
kins  told  him  that  he  heard  't  was  done  to 
one  whose  name  was  hid.  This  was  the 
foul  and  unnatural  way  of  it.  The  man 
was  stretched  on  a  frame,  and  four  horses 
chained  to  his  arms  and  legs,  and  men 
with  whips  ready.  Would  he  confess  and 
tell  his  accomplices  ?  If  he  would,  then 
his  life  should  be  spared ;  but  he  had 
nought  to  do  with  the  business,  he  cried. 

At  that,  one  standing  by  crieth  :  — 

"  Whip  !  he  shall  tell !  " 

Whereon  the  horses  are  whipped  up  and 
his  legs  and  arms  are  pulled  and  the  bones 
crack.  The  man  faints,  but  comes  to, 
and  is  asked  again  if  he  will  confess.  He 
moans  he  cannot,  having  nought  to  tell. 
Then  the  voice  cries  once  more  :  — 

"  Whip  !  the  wretch  shall  own  all  !  " 

at  much  more  serious  ends  than  a  simple  protest  against  the  enforce 
ment  of  martial  law.  The  deposition  or  death  of  Dale  seems  to  have 
been  contemplated  by  the  leaders,  though  probably  not  by  Todkill. 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  99 

The  horses  start  and  drag  him  nigh 
asunder,  and  his  leg-bones  start  out,  with 
gushes  of  blood.  The  poor  wretch  crieth 
shrill,  "  Kill  me  !  "  but  the  blood  in  his 
throat  stops  him.  Then  the  man  standing 
by  —  I  wot  not  who  he  was,  I  think  not  the 
Marshal  —  says  to  one  :  — 

"  Sith  he  would  die,  let  it  be  so,  as  the 
law  directs." 

And  this  one  who  is  spoke  to  lifts  a  club 
wherewith  he  is  furnished,  and  breaks  the 
bones  of  the  poor  wretch  on  the  frame  ; 
and,  last,  dashes  his  brains  out  and  so  ends 
him. 

For  this  I  vouch  not,  having  not  seen 
it ;  and  scarce  I  think  the  valiant  Marshal, 
who  was  stern  but  not  pitiless,  ever  or 
dered  it ;  natheless  't  is  here  related.  Jef 
frey  Abbot,  Smith's  old  sergeant,  a  true 
man  too,  told  me  he  heard  it.  Barebones 
Prym  told  him  that  Praise-the-Lord  Wil- 
kins  told  him  that  't  was  done,  or  another 
told  him  he  heard  't  was  done.  If  so  be, 
the  Lord  doubtless  will  requite  them  that 
did  it ;  for  the  right  lieth  in  none  to  put 
men  to  death  by  so  barbarous,  unusual,  and 
cruel  punishment*  Natheless,  for  a  last 

*  There  is  no  doubt  that  men  were  broken  on  the  wheel  at  this 
period  in  Virginia.  One  account  speaks  of  the  "  cruel,  painful,  and 
unusual "  punishments  inflicted ;  another  states  that  the  manner 


too  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

Argaii        word,    I  cannot   believe   the    Marshal   or- 
dFrencbbpeeo.   dered  it  ;  it  may  be  'twas  done  by  Argall, 
Mount"De.     that  hawk-buccaneer  who  brought  the  ill 
news  to  Smith,  and  was  now  back  in  Vir 
ginia  seeking  something  to  pounce  on.    But 
I  know  not. 

Now  this  same  Argall  is  sent  on  a  buc 
caneer  business  to  kill  innocent  people  be 
fore  he  seizes  my  Lady  Pokahontas,  as  my 
relation  will  show.  News  comes  to  James 
town  that  the  French  are  settling  on  Vir 
ginia  ground  in  Nova  Scotia,  at  Mount 
Desert  Island,  and  Dale  sends  Argall  to 
rout  'em  out.  Which  he  does  without  word, 
shooting  men  and  women  down  there  at 
this  Mount  Desert,  whereof  I  know  not  ; 
and  thence  sails  to  the  Hudson  River  and 
drags  down  the  Dutch  flag  at  Albany  Fort 
and  Manhattan  Island  in  Virginia.  So  he 
comes  back  in  triumph,  this  hawk  and  buc 
caneer,  and  next  seizes  my  Lady  Pokahon 
tas  and  brings  her  to  Jamestown. 

was  one  customary  "in  France ;"  and  certain  Virginia  Burgesses 
of  1624  deposed  that  to  their  personal  knowledge  men  had  been  put 
to  death  "  by  hanging,  shooting,  breaking  on  the  wheel,  and  the 
like.1'1 


XV. 

How   my  Lady    Pokahontas    is    brought   to 
Jamestown  a  Prisoner. 

THE   treacherous   betrayal,  to   call   it  MyLady 
by  its  right  name,  of  my  Lady  Poka- 
hontas,  takes  place  in  this  wise.     But  first 
of  the  strangeness  of  my  lady  never  visit 
ing  us  again  after  Smith  goes. 

How  she  went  away  after  that  last  leave- 
taking  this  true  relation  hath  shown ;  and 
how  I,  Anas  Todkill,  saw  her  but  once 
only  thereafter,  when  again  she  saved  my 
poor  life.  But  never  she  comes  to  James 
town  any  more  now,  and  seemeth  as  one 
dead  to  us.  In  old  days  (as  hath  been 
told)  she  was  ever  in  and  out  with  her 
wild  train  (and  baskets),  but  now  no  Poka- 
hontas  and  no  wild  train ;  worse  than  all, 
no  baskets !  She  cometh  not,  and,  as  we 
hear,  is  not  now  at  Werowocomoco.  Some 
say  she  and  the  Emperor  have  quarrelled  ; 
others  that  she  hath  made  a  princely  prog 
ress  for  her  divertisement  to  the  country 


IO2  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

betrayed  of  Potowamak.  Only,  I  find  after  this,  from 
SQme  Broken  words  she  herself  speaketh, 
that  she  cannot  bear  the  scenes  where  she 
and  Smith  were  together,  and  goes  away 
to  dull  her  grief.* 

What  is  most  to  us,  she  comes  no  more  ; 
and  after  a  while  the  English  think  her  to 
be  dead ;  but  sudden  we  hear  of  her  and 
see  her  too,  which  happened  as  followeth. 

This  same  Captain  Argall,  the  hawk, 
going  to  the  river  Potowamak  for  corn, 
whereof  he  would  fain  bring  back  a  ship 
full,  is  told  by  Japazaws,  an  Indian  chief 
there,  that  the  Lady  Pokahontas  is  with 
him.  Thereat  Argall,  much  marvelling, 
and  most  to  hear  she  is  in  hiding,  as  they 
said,  bargains  with  Japazaws  to  buy  her 
for  a  copper  kettle,  to  which  he  agrees. 
Now  see  the  treacherous  falsehood  of  these 
savage  people,  who  would  betray  their  very 
guests  even  for  what  they  covet,  valuing 
like  girls  the  giddy  pleasure  of  the  eyes 
beyond  faith  and  honour.  Japazaws  his  wife 
is  foremost  in  this  bad  business,  and  wileth 
Pokahontas  on  board  the  ship,  where  there 

*  This  passage  clears  up  an  obscure  question.  Raphe  Hamor 
says,  that  "  the  Nonparella  of  Virginia,"  as  he  calls  Pokahontas, 
made  "  a  princely  progress,"  to  see  her  people  on  the  Potomac ;  and 
another  writer  describes  her  as  residing  there  and  "  thinking  herself 
unknown." 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  103 

will  be  a  fine  banquet,  she  saith.  So  Poka-  And  brought 
hontas  goes,  and  is  betrayed  to  Argall ; 
and  for  all  her  weeping  and  entreaties  is 
carried  back  a  prisoner  to  Jamestown ; 
there  to  be  held  as  a  hostage  for  the  good 
behaviour  of  her  father  the  Emperor. 

Never  saw  I  so  sad  a  face  as  when  she 
landed  from  the  ship  and  stepped  into  the 
Fort.  She  was  ever  looking  around  her 
at  this  and  that  she  remembered,  weeping 
the  while ;  and,  most,  I  could  see  her  eyes 
bent  on  the  casements  of  that  room  where 
in  Smith  lay  when  he  was  ill.  Her  face 
streamed  with  tears,  and  great  sobs  shook 
her  body ;  and  I,  gazing  at  her,  was  in 
amaze  at  her  gracious  beauty.  She  was 
now  some  eighteen  years,  and  a  full  wo 
man,  though  slight  of  stature.  The  maid 
had  grown  a  princess,  with  great  dark  eyes, 
soft  and  clear,  and  a  frame  slim  but  round, 
and  swaying  as  she  walked  on  her  small 
feet.  She  was  wrapped  in  a  feathered 
robe,  and  passed  proudly  through  the 
throng  scarce  looking  at  any  one.  Sudden 
she  catches  sight  of  me  and  stops,  and 
coming  to  me,  takes  my  two  hands,  and 
bursts  into  weeping  as  her  heart  would 
break.  Then  she  goes  in  the  Fort ;  the 
gate  is  shut :  and  my  little  Lady  is  to  be 


IO4  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

Smith  is       held   a  prisoner  till   Powhatan  send  back 

dead,  they 

say.  some  men  and  muskets   taken   from  the 

Colony. 

It  would  be  long  to  relate  how  I  came  to 
be  my  lady's  henchman,  going  her  errands 
and  waiting  on  her,  as  a  father  waits  on 
his  child  for  loving  her  ;  so  it  happed.  She 
had  her  room  in  the  Fort,  and  an  English 
maid,  but  ever  when  she  would  talk  with 
any  one  she  sent  for  Anas.  Never  was 
talk  so  sorrowful  as  mine  with  my  Lady 
Pokahontas  in  these  days.  The  bruit  had 
come  that  Smith  was  dead,  and  when  she 
hears  it,  a  great  sob  shakes  her,  and  she 
bends  down  moaning  most  like  a  poor  bird 
that  is  shot  and  bleeding.  How  and  where 
had  he  died  ?  but  we  know  nothing.  In  a 
sea-fight  off  the  Azores,  some  said,  and 
some  another  story.  But  none  denied  he 
was  gone,  and  his  old  soldiers  wept  for 
him  ;  I  more  than  all,  remembering  that 
true  -  hearted  soldier  who  had  been  so 
dearly  beloved  of  me.  So  we  cried  to 
gether  like  children,  —  poor  Anas  Todkill 
and  the  little  princess.  She  talked  long  of 
the  young  soldier,  and  had  a  legion  of  old 
stories  of  him.  But  ever  she  fell  again  to 
weeping,  and  saying  in  a  low  votee  as  be 
fore,  when  she  took  leave  of  him,  "  God  ! 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  105 

God ! "  whereby  I   knew  she  was   still  a  My  Lady 
Christian  and  faithful  to  her  vows. 

The  time  passed,  and  at  length  this  first  l° 
outburst  of  a  heavy  heart  gave  way  to 
quiet.  She  wept  no  more,  as  the  days 
went  on,  but  would  move  about  softly, 
thinking  and  sometimes  talking  lowly  to 
herself.  When  she  passed  me  at  such 
times,  she  would  raise  her  head  and  smile 
pitifully,  and  lay  her  little  hand  on  my 
doublet  and  say,  "  Good  Anas  ! "  which 
pleased  me  much.  They  let  her  go  out  of 
the  Fort  whither  she  would,  so  she  went 
not  away  ;  and  one  day  I  followed  her  and 
saw  her  stand  on  the  shore,  at  nigh  sun 
set,  where  Smith  had  been  standing  when 
she  stole  up  behind  him.  When  she  came 
back  to  the  Fort  she  was  weeping. 

But  time  is  a  hard  enemy,  and  the  grave 
an  ill  remembrancer.  Oh,  lamentable  !  we 
pass  away,  and  those  we  best  loved  turn 
otherwhere.  Is  it  God's  great  mercy  that 
sends  this  oblivion  to  his  poor  creatures  ? 
Certes  it  must  be  so,  since  all  human 
things  flow  from  Him.  So  my  lady  grows 
quiet  and  her  sorrow  settles  down  in  her 
heart,  I  think.  She  even  laughs  a  little  at 
times,  and  being  a  girl,  which  is  a  thought 
less  creature,  takes  part  in  the  games  of 


106  My  Lady  Pohdhontas 

ne  new      the  young  men  and  maids,  whereof  there 

love  conies.  .  „,,  .  ,         ,        . 

are  plenty  now.  The  youths  (and  the 
older  men  for  that)  would  much  affect  her 
company,  for  she  had  a  fine  mirth  and  an 
extraordinary  sweet  smile,  with  a  love  of 
what  was  humourous  that  made  her  won 
drous  pleasant. 

So  my  little   lady  laughed,  and,  as  the 
wont  of  her  vain  sex  is,  looked  at  the  gal 
lants  with  side  glances  out  of  the  corners 
of  her  black  eyes.      But  ever  under  this 
fooling  was  plain  to  me  the  old,  settled 
sorrow,  and  4  the  mourning  deep  down  in 
her  heart  for  the  soldier  she   had  loved, 
and  who  had  loved  her,  and  was  dead  now. 
Master    Shakespeare    (I    thought)    writes 
plays,  taking  his  stories  from  books; 
methinks  he  should  be  here  now, 
and  see  this  woman's  heart 
moaning   over  a   dead 
love,  —  and  dream 
ing  of  a  new. 


XVI. 
/  make  Acquaintance  of  Master  c%plfe. 

NOW  to  go  on  with  this  true  relation, 
and  tell  what  in  due  time  followed. 

My  Lady  Pokahontas  (as  I  still  would 
call  her)  had  much  converse  on  holy  things 
with  the  valiant  and  religious  High  Mar 
shal,  Sir  Thomas  Dale,  Governor  General ; 
and  but  for  being  converted,  he  would 
certes  have  converted  her.  For  the  gain 
ing  of  that  one  soul  (he  said),  he  would 
think  his  time  and  toil  in  Virginia  well 
spent ;  *  but  this  relation  showeth  that  ere 
now  she  was  a  Christian. 

Natheless  she  was  young  and  mirthful, 
and  affected  company,  and  others  affected 
her.  Now  among  them  was  a  worthy  gentle 
man,  some  thirty,  Master  John  Rolfe.  For 
all  his  youth  he  was  a  grave,  staid  man, 
much  given  to  religious  exercises,  and  I 
first  surmised  his  thought  as  to  Poka 
hontas  by  his  making  friends  with  me. 

*  Sir  Thomas  Dale  makes  this  declaration  in  a  letter  to  a  friend  in 
London. 


Matter 


wS  My  Lady  Pohahontas 

i  talk  with  He  would  still  salute  me  as  he  passed  into 
the  Fort  with  a  bow,  and  "A  pleasant 
morn,  Master  Todkill,"  or  "Give  you  good- 
day,  friend."  Thereat  I  marvelled  and 
was  pleased,  for  Master  Rolfe  was  high  in 
the  Governor's  graces  ;  but  one  day  when 
we  were  alone  together,  I  came  to  know 
his  mind,  and  why  he  thus  affected  me. 

"  You  were  one  of  Captain  Smith's  old 
soldiers,  were  you  not,  Master  Todkill  ?  "  he 
asked  of  me.  Whereupon  I  answered  Yes, 
for  I  had  fought  under  him  against  the 
Turk. 

"And  in  Virginia  also,"  he  goes  on  in 
his  grave,  friendly  voice.  "I  know  the  true 
story  of  old  times  here,  and  what  manner 
of  man  Smith  was.  He  is  dead  now, 
God  rest  him  ;  but  we  build  on  his  founda 
tion." 

At  this  my  heart  warmed,  and  I  spoke 
to  Master  Rolfe  of  the  old  days,  giving  my 
dear  and  noble  Captain  the  character  was 
his  due. 

"A  mighty  soldier,  and  dwarfs  us  all," 
answered  Master  Rolfe.  "  My  own  life,  I 
think,  is  nothing  beside  his  with  his  brave 
adventures  and  great  deeds." 

Thereat,  musing,  he  speaks  of  himself 
and  says  :  — 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  109 

"  I  was  married  early  in  England,  Master  He  MIS  of 
Todkill,  and  brought  my  young  wife  in  deatb!fe's 
the  fleet  under  the  good  Admiral  Somers, 
seeking  Virginia.  But  God  would  not  have 
it  that  she  should  ever  see  this  virgin 
land.  We  were  on  board  the  Sea-  Venture, 
and  that  was  wrecked  on  the  Bermudas. 
There  my  dear  wife  died,  after  giving 
birth  to  her  babe,  a  girl.  I  called  the 
little  cherub  sent  me,  Bermuda,  after  the 
islands,  but  she  died  too,  and  both  rest 
there,  and  I  am  alone,  Master  Todkill." 

This  moved  me  much,  and  the  talk  there 
ended  ;  but  soon  I  saw  that  this  so  great 
wound  in  the  heart  of  Master  Rolfe  was 
well-nigh  healed,  for  he  had  begun  to  love 
my  little  Lady  Pokahontas.  Thereat  my 
heart  burned  within  me.  Did  my  Lady 
Pokahontas  love  him  ?  That  were  piteous, 
after  Smith  ;  and  a  great  anger  suddenly 
seizes  me,  most  at  this  Master  Rolfe,  who 
would  steal  from  my  dear  Captain  this 
heart  that  belonged  to  him.  Even  now 
was  this  bruit  true  that  Smith  was  dead  ? 
(I  said  this  to  myself,)  and  was  Master 
Rolfe  the  one  who  had  got  it  believed  in 
the  Colony  ? 

So  the  next  time  he  meets  me  and 
would  talk  of  my  Lady,  I  greet  him  but 


no  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

The  strife  in  coldly,  and  am   silent.     Thereat  he  looks 

bis  thoughts.  1  11*11  • 

strangely  at  me,  as  though  in  sudden  pain, 
and  heaves  a  great  sigh. 

"  You  would  hold  no  speech  with  me, 
then,  worthy  Master  Todkill  ? "  he  says 
lowly.  "  I  know  your  thought.  That  great 
soldier  was  your  friend  and  loved  this 
maid ;  therefore  you  would  not  have  her 
love  me,  or  I  her,  I  see.  Certes  't  is  a  great 
sin  ;  I  grant  you  that ;  but  not  to  your 
sometime  Captain.  He  is  dead,  they  say  ; 
think  you  he  is  not  ?  " 

"  The  bruit  saith  so,"  I  answer  short, 
"  but  I  know  not  whence  it  comes  or  who 
hath  spread  it." 

"  Not  I ! "  cries  Master  Rolfe.  "  Would 
to  God  that  true  soldier  were  alive  for  the 
honour  of  England  !  " 

"  Say  you  so  ?  "  I  answered ;  "  are  you 
honest?" 

"  I  swear  I  am  honest,  Master  Todkill. 
I  think  him  verily  to  be  dead  in  a  combat 
off  the  Azores,  and  't  is  no  sin  in  me  to 
love  her." 

"  And  yet  you  said  't  was  a  great  sin." 

"  Certes,  in  that  the  Scripture  forbids 
a  Christian  man  to  marry  a  strange  wo 
man." 

Then  sudden  I  see  his  mind,  and  being 


My  Lady  Pokdbontas  in 

a  Puritan,  and  not  a   mere  court  ruffler,  He  sees  my 

. ,        -      ,   .  .  .  Lady  in  his 

think  well  of  this  man  whose  conscience  sleep. 
hurts  him  in  such  a  matter. 

"  Say  you  that  ?  "  I  answer.  "  You  love 
her,  and  yet  hold  back  ?  " 

Thereat  his  face  colours  up,  and  he  says 
in  a  loud  voice,  careless  who  hears  him 
from  the  Fort,  — 

"  Love  her  ?  God  knoweth  I  love  her 
with  my  heart  and  soul !  Scarce  I  sleep 
for  thinking  of  her,  and  yet  I  know  not  if 
she  thinketh  of  me,  nor  if  I  would  have 
her  think  of  me." 

I  listen,  but  say  nothing,  looking  intent 
at  his  face. 

"This  gracious  creature,"  he  saith  at 
length,  "  hath  made  a  mighty  war  in  my 
meditations.  Long  I  have  struggled,  Mas 
ter  Todkill,  remembering  the  displeasure 
God  conceived  against  the  sons  of  Levi 
and  Israel  for  marrying  strange  wives. 
Doubtless,  I  said,  this  is  the  enemy  that 
seeketh  man's  destruction,  and  so  rested. 
But  then  when  I  had  obtained  my  peace 
behold  another  gracious  tentation  hath 
made  a  breach  in  my  meditations.  I  see 
her  in  my  sleep,  and  awake  to  astonish 
ment.  I  am  pulled  here  and  there,  as  it 
were,  and  a  voice  crieth,  '  Why  do  not  thou 


ii2  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

by  be       marry  her  and  endeavour  to  make  her  a 


would  wed      /~,1      .      .          .  ,  ,, 

her.  Christian  ? 


"  Know  you  not  she  is  such  now  ? "  I 
say. 

"  Yes,  Master  Todkill ;  my  poor  speech 
wanders  ;  I  would  confirm  her  in  such  holy 
thoughts,  for  God's  honour  and  the  good 
of  the  Colony." 

Such1  honesty  spoke  in  his  voice  that  I, 
looking  at  him,  grew  not  so  cold  to  him. 
This  he  doubtless  sees,  and  says  in  earnest 
words :  — 

"Certes  the  vulgar  sort,  who  square  all 
men's  actions  by  their  own  evil  thoughts, 
will  jeer  at  me,  Master  Todkill,  and  say  I 
am  only  moved  by  carnal  longing ;  but 
God,  who  seeth  me,  knoweth  otherwise.  I 
would  marry  this  gracious  maiden  for  his 
glory  and  the  good  of  his  people.  I  have 
made  all  known  to  Him  in  my  daily,  yea 
hourly,  prayers  and  meditations  ;  and  sure 
I  think  He  doth  approve  it.  Think  what 
good  will  surely  come  !  Think  how  beau 
tiful  is  the  soul  of  this  creature  Pokahon- 
tas  ;  of  her  desire  to  be  taught  and  in 
structed  in  the  knowledge  of  God ;  her 
capableness  of  understanding  ;  her  aptness 
and  willingness  to  receive  any  good  im 
pression  ;  and  I  deny  not  besides  this  spir- 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  113 

itual,  her  own  incitements  stirring  me  up  His  trouble. 
hereunto  !  "  * 

He  stops  all  in  a  tremble,  and  saith  :  — 

"What  I  do  is  for  God's  glory,  as  God 
seeth  me !  " 

We  had  walked  to  the  river  shore,  and 
the  tide  coming  in  lapped  on  the  bank,  as 
that  day  when  Smith  was  looking,  and  my 
Lady  stole  to  him. 

For  all  the  voice  of  Master  Rolfe  was 
honest  and  full  of  a  strange  trouble,  I  still 
was  obstinate  and  could  not  bring  me  to 
believe  in  him. 

"Sure  what  you  say  is  worthy  of  a  true 
man  and  a  Christian,"  I  say ;  "  but  nathe- 
less  in  such  things  there  is  more :  the 
consent  of  the  maiden.  Howe'er  a  man's 
thought  be  torn  whether  or  no  he  will  wed 
such  an  one,  there  remains  to  know  this  : 
whether  such  an  one  will  wed  him" 

Thereat  his  head  drooped  down.  He 
studied  for  a  time,  and  answered  :  — 

"  I  know  not.  I  scarce  dare  hope  that, 
after  Smith,  she  will  cast  eyes  on  me. 
But  think,  Master  Todkill  ;  he  is  dead,  as 
I  verily  believe  ;  and  what  better  can  the 
gracious  creature  do  than  bethink  her  that 

*  What  Rolfe  said  in  this  interview  is  identical  with  what  he  wrote 
in  the  letter  spoken  of  by  Todkill  a  little  further  on. 


H4  My  Lady  Pokdbontas 

He  win  a&  one   loves   her   that   still   liveth    and   will 

counsel,  .         .    ,     .          ,  ,, 

cherish  her  ? 

That  was  hard  to  gainsay,  and  Master 
Rolfe  had  hit  it.  Doubtless  many  bleeding 
hearts  have  had  this  to  choose  :  whether 
the  past  time  shall  be  buried  and  the  old 
love  forgot,  or  not,  for  a  new  love  that 
offereth.  But  I  could  not  bear  to  think  of 
it,  that  my  dear  Captain  should  be  thus  for 
gotten. 

"What  shall  I  do,  Master  Todkill  ? " 
Master  Rolfe  saith  sudden  ;  but  I  shake 
my  head. 

"  I  know  not ;  seek  other  to  advise  you, 
Master  Rolfe,"  I  answer. 

Thereat  he  heaves  another  sigh  and 
says  :  — 

"  Yes  ;  I  will  tell  all  in  a  letter  to  my 
worthy  friend,  Sir  Thomas  Dale.  He  is  a 
valiant  and  religious  man,  well  instructed 
in  divinity,  which  be  rare  in  a  martial  man.* 
He  shall  decide." 

Wherewith  we  go  back  silent,  with  the 
waves  still  lapping,  to  the  Fort. 

*  Rolfe  here  borrows  an  expression  which  he  had  no  doubt  heard 
employed  by  the  Rev.  Alexander  Whitaker,  Minister  of  the  Varina 
parish,  and  called  the  "  Apostle  of  Virginia."  He  uses  it  in  a  letter 
to  a  friend  in  London. 


V   OP  THE  ^  &  4^ 

T73TI7ERSIT7 


XVII. 

/  /#m£,  Sure  't  is  better  to  be 

Old  Love  ere  on  with  the  New. 

SOON  Master  Rolfe  writes  that  letter 
in  which  he  would  ask  Sir  Thomas 
his  consent.  I  know  this  from  accident. 
Chancing  to  pass  him  while  he  is  walking 
by  the  palisade  with  Master  Raphe  Hamor, 
Secretary  of  the  Colony,  I  must  needs 
overhear  him  (though  I  would  not)  say 
these  words :  — 

"'T  is  written,  friend  Raphe  ;  I  ask  him 
what  shall  I  do  ?  My  whole  heart  is 
therein,  and  thou  shalt  give  it  him,  when 
thou  wilt." 

With  that  he  holds  out  a  letter  and 
Master  Hamor  takes  it,  smiling,  and  they 
pass.  The  opportunity  to  deliver  the  letter 
came  soon,  and  I  was  witness  of  all ;  but 
first  some  words  of  my  dear  Lady  Poka- 
hontas.  It  was  ill  for  me  being  wroth  with 
her,  since  only  my  own  misery  followed. 
And  there  was  nought  really  to  make  me 


u6  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

My  Lady  so.  Sure  not  the  least  thing  was  to  her 
dishonour..  This  noble  princess  was  yet 
faithful  to  one  that  had  loved  her,  though 
he  were  dead.  The  old  wound  was  yet  sore 
and  would  not  heal  up  in  that  time. 

But,  welladay  !  ever  the  time  went  on  ; 
and  the  spring  ripened  to  summer  ;  and 
then  the  summer  to  what  in  this  land  we 
call,  after  Indian  fashion,  the  Leaf-Fall  ; 
and  ever  with  the  passing  days  the  heart 
of  my  Lady  taketh  more  ease,  and  her  face 
smiles  with  a  brighter  light  in  it.  But 
when  some  one  let  fall  his  name,  sudden 
tears  would  come  and  she  would  go  away 
sorrowful  by  herself ;  and  ever  when  she 
comes  back  she  lays  her  hand  softly  on  me, 
looking  me  in  the  face  as  though  to  say, 
"  We  remember,  Anas." 

At  such  times  comes  Master  Rolfe  and 
sits  beside  her  and  talks  to  her,  though 
she  seems  not  willing.  Long  before  this 
she  was  mistress  of  English,  and  spoke  it 
freely,  in  her  old  lisping  voice,  very  low, 
but  exceeding  sweet.  And  ever  as  she 
lisped  out  her  words,  I  could  see  the  face 
of  Master  Rolfe  flush  up  as  he  listened  to 
her.  Would  she  ever  love  him,  and  what 
good  would  come  of  that  letter  to  Sir 
Thomas?  (I  said.)  'T  were  a  brave  jest 


My  Lady  Pokalontas  nj 

indeed  to  know  if  he  should  marry  a  maid  Her  faith 
who  would  not !  *  Whether  his  wooing 
prospered  I  could  not  tell  from  looking  at 
my  little  Lady.  Certes  she  would  smile  on 
him  at  times,  but  the  smile  was  sorrowful ; 
and  if  she  bent  her  head  sidewise,  looking 
at  him  over  her  shoulder,  after  the  wicked 
wont  of  maids,  soon  she  looked  down  and 
sighed  grievously,  doubtless  remembering. 
Sooth  to  say,  Master  Rolfe  was  not  so 
strange  to  love  her.  She  was  now  clad 
like  an  English  woman,  in  some  clothes 
they  had  given  her,  and  would  deck  her 
self  carefully  in  ruff  and  stomacher,  and 
spend  much  time  on  her  hair  at  back  of 
her  head,  seeking  to  make  it  curl,  and  put 
it  in  a  cushion,  after  the  fashion  of  the 
time.  On  her  feet  were  Spanish  shoes  of 
green  morocco,  with  high  red  heels,  show 
ing  her  wondrous  small  feet,  with  clocked 
stockings  on  the  ankles.  Her  round  arms 
were  ever  naked,  with  coral  bracelets  on 
her  wrists  ;  and  as  she  moved,  the  slim 
figure  of  the  maid  was  like  a  willow-tree, 
such  as  groweth  on  the  Virginia  rivers. 
Sure  't  was  a  beauteous  vision,  with  the 
brown  face  bent  forward,  and  a  smile  on 

*  Todkill's  meaning  here  seems  to  be  that  it  was  rather  comic  for 
Rolfe  to  have  scruples  as  to  marrying  one  who  would  not  marry 
him. 


n  8  My  Lady  Pokdhontas 

My  Lady  the  lips  and  in  the  eyes  ;  and  looking  at 
her,  Master  Rolfe  would  heave  a  piteous 
sigh,  whereat  she  must  needs  laugh. 

But  a  man's  true  love  for  a  woman  is 
strong.  Much  as  my  little  Lady  would 
laugh,  I  could  at  length  see  she  was  giv 
ing  way.  They  often  walked  to  the  shore 
together  and  came  back  with  heads  bent 
down  ;  and  now,  I  think,  she  did  not  so 
much  affect  my  company  as  before.  Often 
she  would  look  at  me  in  a  sad,  doubtful 
way,  as  though  to  say,  "An  I  were  to, 
Anas  ? "  But  never  had  she  speech  with  me 
save  on  other  things  ;  never  on  this  one. 

So  the  winter  passed  away,  and  the 
spring  was  near,  and  then  I  came  to  know 
what  would  be.  One  day  toward  April 
I  was  wandering  in  the  woods,  when  the 
sound  of  voices  comes  to  me  from  a  path 
through  the  thicket,  and  these  two,  my 
Lady  and  Master  Rolfe,  pass  near  me. 
Her  head  is  leaned  down  and  her  face  is 
red  with  blushes ;  and  Master  Rolfe  is  talk 
ing  to  her  low  and  earnest  as  they  go  by. 
He  stops  speaking  as  they  come  near, 
and  for  a  little  time  she  makes  no  answer. 
Then  I  hear  only  these  words  from  her, 
like  the  whisper  of  the  south  wind  in  the 
leaves,  "  Do  you  really  ? " 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  7/9 

They  passed  on,  thereupon,  but  I  could  My  captain 
see  Master  Rolfe  take  her  hand  that  was  " 
hanging  down  at  her  side  and  press  it  in 
both  his,  and  kiss  it.     Would  she  take  it 
away  ?     I  waited,  with  my  heart  beating. 
She  let  him  hold  it  in  his  own,  and  looked 
up  over  her  shoulder  into  his  eyes   that 
were  fixed  on  her. 

Then  I  knew  that  my  dear  Captain  was 
forgot  at  last. 


XVIII. 


We  sail  up  York  River  with  my  Lady,  and 
what  followetb. 


Master  Roife  f^  ERTES  comes  to  my  poor  heart  a 
conscience  iet  ^-^  great  throbbing  as  I  go  back  to  the 
Fort.  This  was  the  end  ;  my  little  Lady 
had  forgot  her  Captain.  I  would  scarce  go 
near  her,  and  she  understands  that,  for  she 
looks  at  me  with  such  tears  as  her  heart 
would  break;  and  for  nigh  a  week  would 
scarce  speak  so  much  as  a  word  to  Master 
Rolfe. 

But  maidens  are  ever  changeful.  Tis 
at  most  an  April  day  with  such.  The  rain 
goes,  and  the  shine  comes  back  after  the 
shower,  and  they  are  brighter  than  be 
fore.  Soon  poor  Anas  is  clean  forgot,  and 
when  they  encounter,  my  little  Lady  seems 
ashamed  to  meet  his  eyes. 

Now  to  tell  what  followed.  Had  Master 
Rolfe  determined  in  his  mind  that  his  con 
science  should  be  quiet  as  to  marrying 
strange  wives  ?  Once  he  saith  it  is  against 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  121 

Scripture,  and  sure  this  Lady  Pokahontas  He  would 
belonged  to  a  cursed  generation.  Now  the  fair&ti** 
generation  appeareth  not  so  cursed,  rather 
blessed,  and  to  be  gladly  wed  with  !  Where 
be  now  the  perturbations  of  his  distracted 
soul  (as  he  saith),  and  those  same  snares  of 
the  Evil  One  set  in  the  black  eyes  of  the 
maid  ?  When  he  dreameth  of  her  (if  one 
would  hear  him),  he  starts  from  sleep  and 
cries,  "Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan  !  "  But 
natheless  he  would  embrace  this  fair  Satan, 
and  make  her  his  Devil's-helpmate  !  and 
the  witch  herself  is  willing,  and  will  have 
Master  Rolfe  to  husband. 

All  growling,  you  will  say,  of  poor  Anas 
Todkill  at  his  Captain's  being  so  soon  for 
got,  and  at  him  who  supplants  him :  this 
Master  Rolfe,  who  would  not  wed  with 
strange  wives,  but  hath  got  the  better  of 
that,  and  remembers  that  they  that  turn 
souls  to  righteousness  shall  shine  as  the  stars 
forever!  (Natheless  this  one  was  turned 
already,  and  needed  him  not)  Again  thou 
growlest,  Anas  !  So  be  it ;  men  will  growl 
considering  love's  wiling,  and  the  doings 
of  these  farthingales  who  make  us  love  'em. 
Not  that  my  little  Lady  did  not  yet  love 
the  soldier  she  had  loved  so  in  old  days. 
She  loved  him  deep  in  her  heart  of  hearts, 


722  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

sir  Thomas  far  more,  I  think,  than  this  new  love.  But 
York.0  tl  the  old  lover  was  dead,  you  see,  and  Mas 
ter  Rolfe  pressed  strong.  He  had  friends, 
too,  that  spoke  for  him  :  Master  Strachey, 
he  that  writ  the  "  True  Repertory  of  the 
Wrack  and  Redemption  of  the  Sea- Ven 
ture,"  a  civil-spoken  gentleman  ;  and  also 
Master  Raphe  Hamor,  who  took  the  letter 
for  Sir  Thomas  Dale,  to  ask  his  counsel. 

Now  I  will  relate  how  this  letter  was  de 
livered  and  what  strange  matter  followeth. 
To  go  back :  when  Powhatan  hears  his 
daughter  is  taken  a  prisoner  and  carried 
to  Jamestown  he  is  bitter  offended,  and 
keepeth  silence  ;  when  messengers  go  to 
him  from  Sir  Thomas  and  say  the  Lady 
Pokahontas  shall  be  sent  back  when  cer 
tain  Englishmen,  who  are  captives,  with 
their  muskets,  are  given  up  to  us,  Pow 
hatan  will  not,  and  still  keeps  quiet. 
Thereon  Sir  Thomas  bethinks  him  he  will 
go  and  take  'em,  and  in  the  March  days  of 
this  year  1613  sails  with  picked  men  in  a 
ship  by  Point  Comfort  into  York  River, 
and  so  to  Werowocomoco.  He  takes  my 
Lady  Pokahontas  with  him,  and  in  the  ship 
goeth  also  Master  John  Rolfe,  who  is  a 
worshipful  gentleman  and  high  in  his  hon 
our's  favour.  My  lady  is  sad  and  smiling 


My  Lady  Pohdhontas  123 

by  turns  on  the  way,  Sir  Thomas  his  in-  We  land  at 

J'  Machot. 

tent  being  to  surrender  her  when  the  arms 
are  brought  with  the  English  prisoners  by 
Powhatan. 

At  Werowocomoco  was  no  Powhatan, 
but  a  great  multitude  of  Indians  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  who  jeered  loud  as  we 
came  near  shore,  and  with  scornful  bravado 
affronted  us,  demanding,  "Why  come  you 
hither  ?  You  are  welcome  if  you  come  to 
fight ;  we  will  use  you  as  we  used  Captain 
Ratcliffe."  Then  they  let  fly  their  arrows, 
at  which  we  manned  boats  and  went 
ashore.  There  we  burned  all  their  houses 
and  spoiled  all  they  had ;  and  going  to 
ship  again  sailed  up  the  river. 

Now  to  tell  what  next  happed,  and  how 
the  mind  of  my  little  Lady  was  at  last 
known  to  all.  We  got  to  Machot,  Ope- 
chancanough's  capital  city,  where  the  York 
River  divideth,*  and  went  ashore  in  a 
great  crowd,  sending  to  Powhatan  who  was 
in  the  woods,  to  tell  our  minds.  We  had 
brought  Pokahontas,  and  would  deliver  her 
whenas  the  arms  were  brought  ;  and  Mas 
ter  John  Rolfe  and  one  more  were  sent  on 
this  errand.  They  went  with  guides  to  the 

*  The  present  West  Point,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Pamunkey  and 
Mattapony. 


124  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

My  Lady's     Emperor's  woods  palace,  but  he  not  choos- 

hroud  de  ,  .    ,    .   .  , 

mg  to  see  them  (of  his  grim  humour)  sent 
back  a  vain  message  as  all  would  be  well ; 
but  no  further. 

At  this  Sir  Thomas  Dale  concludes  the 
Emperor  but  trifles  with  him,  and  is  about 
giving  orders  to  lay  waste  all  houses  and 
boats  and  the  very  fish  weirs,  when  sud 
den  happens  what  stops  all.  To  make  this 
plain :  my  Lady  Pokahontas,  in  a  brave 
gown,  and  looking  very  proud,  had  come 
ashore  with  the  rest.  Scarce  she  spoke  to 
any  of  her  people,  only  to  say  to  the  bet 
ter  sort  with  a  proud  and  hurt  voice  :  — 

"If  my  father  loved  me  he  would  not 
value  me  less  than  old  swords,  pieces,  or 
axes ;  so  I  will  still  dwell  with  the  Eng 
lishmen,  who  love  me." 

Thereat  she  turned  her  head  a  little  and 
looked  at  Master  Rolfe,  who  smiled  as  ap 
proving,  and  signed  with  his  hand  to  her, 
and  to  Master  Raphe  Hamor,  who  was 
standing  near.  Then  I  see  this  Master 
Hamor  go  to  Sir  Thomas  and  give  him  a 
letter,  and  I  know  in  my  heart  it  is  Mas 
ter  Rolfe's  letter  about  the  marriage,  ask 
ing  Sir  Thomas  his  consent,  and  what 
ought  he  to  do.  When  Sir  Thomas  Dale 
opens  the  folds  of  paper  he  looketh  a  little 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  125 

puzzled  at  first ;  then  he  turns  to  the  end  The  utter. 
to  see  by  whom  't  is  writ.  Seeing  there, 
doubtless,  Master  Rolfe's  name,  he  look- 
eth  toward  him,  but  he  is  in  some  con 
fusion  ;  and  chancing  to  behold  the  Lady 
Pokahontas  at  this  same  minute,  I  see  she 
is  blushing  red  and  hanging  down  her 
head. 

Sir  Thomas  goes  back  and  peruses  the 
letter  with  a  grave  look  :  but  soon  his  face 
lights  up  and,  holding  back  his  head  with 
his  beard  in  the  air,  he  laughs  loud. 

"  Ho,  ho !  "  he  says,  turning  to  Master 
Rolfe  ;  "  thou  art  a  sly  one  !  What  is  this  ? 
never  you  said  a  word  of  it,  though  we 
were  oft  together,  Master  Rolfe." 

"  I  durst  not,"  says  Rolfe  all  of  a  tremble. 
"  I  feared  thou  wouldst  say  nay,  good  Sir 
Thomas." 

"  So  you  held  all  back  !  " 

"  Yea,  Sir  Thomas,  till  this  moment. 
But  now  you  needs  must  know,  since  you 
would  burn  all,  and  destroy  these  poor  peo 
ple  that  are  "  — 

"  Madame  Rolfe's  kindred  ! "  cries  Sir 
Thomas,  laughing  loud  and  looking  from 
him  to  Pokahontas.  Thereat  she  blushes, 
but  suddenly  starts  and  goes  forward  very 
quick.  Her  brother  Nantaquaus  pushes 


126  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

through  the  crowd  and  catches  her  close  to 
his  breast  and  kisses  her.  Never  saw  I 
faces  shine  so,  and  they  babble  and  kiss 
and  she  tells  him  all ;  for  a  great  wonder 
comes  to  his  face,  the  comeliest  I  ever  saw 
in  a  savage. 

"Would  you  ?  would  you  ? "  he  says,  hav 
ing  a  few  English  words.  Whereto  Poka- 
hontas  laughs,  and  says  :  — 

"  Yes,  I  would,  Nantaquaus  !  " 

And  she  laughs  and  cries,  and  hugs  him 
close  ;  and  Sir  Thomas  Dale  comes  and 
laughs  too.  All  is  peace  now,  he  says. 

"  Since  we  English  and  the  red  beauties 
will  get  to  marrying,"  so  saith  Sir  Thomas, 
"  there  need  be  no  more  war,  but  blessed 
peace.  Know  you  what  is  writ  in  this 
letter,  my  Lady  Princess  ?  I  see  thou  dost, 
by  thy  roses.  Master  Rolfe  would  marry 
thee  —  hath  doubtless  read  thee  this  billet- 
doux" 

Thereat  Pokahontas  hangs  down  her 
head  and  her  bosom  heaveth. 

"  But  his  Majesty  King  James  !  What 
will  his  Majesty  say  ?  Master  Rolfe  is  but 
a  private  gentleman,  and  he  would  wed  a 
princess.  That  were  lest  majestt,  I  much 
fear,  and  his  Majesty  will  grow  irate.*  But 

*  It  is  known  that  his  Majesty  King  James  I.  did  "  grow  irate." 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  127 

natheless    thou   shalt   marry,    poor   young  The  Mar- 
people  !    I  will  not  say  thee  nay."  pleasant 

Thereat  Master  Rolfe  clasps   his  hand Je 
and  cries  :  — 

"  Thou  art  my  best  friend,  Sir  Thomas  !  " 

He  pumps  with  Sir  Thomas  his  arm, 
but  the  Marshal  sudden  looks  grave,  — 
though  I  see  a  wicked  smile  under  it. 

"  There  be  but  one  only  hindrance,  but 
that  is  mighty,  Master  Rolfe." 

"  What  be  that  hindrance,  Sir  Thomas  ? " 
saith  Master  Rolfe  quaking. 

"  The  Scripture  forbiddeth  marrying 
strange  wives  ;  remember  the  displeasure 
the  Almighty  conceived  against  the  sons 
of  Levi  and  Israel !  " 

Thereat  Rolfe  looks  confused  and  stam 
mers  :  — 

"  Natheless  "  — 

"  Whereof  thy  dreams  did  warn  thee, 
good  Master  Rolfe  !  "  continues  Sir  Thomas 
laughing  sudden.  "  Remember  thy  per 
turbations  and  the  troubles  of  thy  dis 
tracted  soul !  Hath  the  trouble  clean  gone 
now?" 

I,  Anas  Todkill,  hearing  these  words, 
could  have  gladly  caught  the  Marshal  to 
my  breast  and  cried,  "  Thanks  !  "  But  the 
laughter  endeth,  for  Master  Rolfe  would, 


128  My  Lady  Pokahonlas 

Peace  now.  it  seemeth,  sink  in  the  ground  ;  and  Sir 
Thomas  saith  :  — 

"I  did  but  jest.  Why  should  not  you 
and  the  Lady  Pokahontas  marry  ?  Yea, 
you  shall,  and  a  brave  wedding." 

He  turns  to  my  Lady  then  and  says  with 
the  bow  of  a  courtier  :  — 

"  I  will  not  give  you  for  the  men  and 
old  muskets  now,  my  little  Lady  !  " 

This  endeth  the  talk  with  them,  and  Sir 
Thomas  goes  apart  with  Opechancanough 
(sith  the  Emperor  Powhatan  is  afraid  to 
come  to  the  English,  or  will  not),  and  they 
make  terms  of  peace.  The  men  and  pieces 
shall  be  brought  now  and  given  unto  the 
English  ;  and  Sir  Thomas  will  not  fulfill 
his  intent  to  destroy  the  heathen.  Rather 
he  will  be  close  friends  with  them,  since 
now  one  of  his  gentlemen  will  wed  with 
their  princess. 

Thus  all  is  soon  agreed,  and  for  proof  of 
friendship  the  ship  is  loaded  with  corn  ; 
and  in  two  hours  the  prisoned  English  are 
brought  and  the  pieces  with  'em.  Then 
my  lady  puts  her  arms  round  Nantaquaus, 
blushing  much  the  while,  and  whispers 
something  in  his  ear,  which  I  know  after 
wards  is  this  :  — 

"  Thou  shalt  tell  the  Emperor,  brother 


My  Lady  Pokdhontas  129 

Nantaquaus,    and    say   his  wanton   would  And  so  to 

.  .  ....  1111  ^  •     Jamestown. 

have  him  willing  she  should  marry  this 
English  werowance.  Thou  wilt  come  to 
the  church ;  it  will  be  fair  with  flowers  ; 
and  tell  my  sisters  Cleopatre  and  Mata- 
channa  to  come  too,  for  maids  to  the 
bride,  —  who  will  be  I." 

Thereat  she  laughs  and  cries,  kissing 
him,  and  goes  on  the  ship  ;  and  Sir  Thomas, 
firing  culverins  to  show  the  peace  made, 
sails  down  York  River  and  so  comes  again 
to  Jamestown. 

Now  not  to  tarry  longer  here,  see  how 
this  angel  made  peace  between  the  Eng 
lish  and  her  own  people.  She  that  had 
saved  us  now  saved  them  in  their  time 
of  need.  For  Sir  Thomas  had  surely 
ground  them  between  the  upper  and  the 
nether  mill-stone,  but  for  the  knowledge 
that  Master  Rolfe  would  wed  her  and  they 
all  would  live  at  peace. 

So  this  angel  (God  forgive  thee,  Anas !) 
was  once  more  the  guardian  angel  of 
the  white  and  red  people  in  this  land  of 
Virginia.* 

*  Todkill's  relation  of  these  incidents  exactly  agrees  with  that 
of  Raphe  Hamor  in  his  True  Discourse  of  Virginia.  This  rare 
pamphlet  also  contains  Rolfe's  letter,  a  most  curious  production,  and 
a  letter  written  to  London  by  Sir  Thomas  Dale  precisely  corroborat 
ing  Todkill's  narrative. 

9 


XIX. 

How  my  Lady  Pokahontas  asketb,  —  Must 
she  ? 

oid memo-  "NT O W  my  little  Lady  would  no  longer 
1  ^1  speak  to  me  ;  nor  cared  I  to  speak  to 
her.  Sith  she  hath  forgot  (I  say)  him  who 
loved  her  so  dearly,  and  taken  up  with  this 
new  gallant,  even  let  her  go,  and  the  Divell 
go  with  her  (God  forgive  thee,  Anas  !). 

But  I  was  wroth,  and  a  man  when  wroth 
will  foul  his  lips  and  his  mind,  that  is  worse, 
with  these  abominations.  Try  as  I  would, 
I  could  not  forego  the  memory  how  they 
walked  together  in  the  old  days  and  how 
she  looked  at  him.  Ever  she  would  pluck 
the  wild  wood  flowers  for  her  hair,  and 
put  them  therein,  and  then  take  them 
forth  and  hold  'em  out  to  him,  and  say  in 
her  little  lisping  tongue,  "  For  thee  that 
art  the  flower  of  gentilesse  and  honour!" 
And  now  these  same  flowers  were  for  an 
other  love  ;  and  this  other  were  the  bright, 
blooming  exemplar!  Brief,  she  who  had 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  131 

forgot  the  man  I  loved  so  should  be  forgot  My  Lady 

_       _  ,  -  .     ,  ,      baptized. 

by  me.  So  I  would  not  go  nigh  nor  speak 
to  her. 

Did  she  care  for  that  ?  I  knew  not, 
but  many  things  distracted  her  thoughts 
and  time  at  this  season.  Sir  Thomas  Dale, 
the  valiant  and  religious  High  Marshal, 
was  ever  with  her.  For  this  soldier  was  a 
man  of  great  knowledge  in  divinity  and 
of  a  good  conscience  ;  and  would  still  in 
struct  my  Lady  Pokahontas  in  the  knowl 
edge  of  our  Blessed  Saviour. 

Now  the  time  comes  for  her  baptism, 
and  good  Master  Whitaker  performeth  it, 
sprinkling  water  on  her  from  the  fount  in 
the  church,  where  attendeth  a  great  mul 
titude.  She  is  new  named  Rebecca  ;  for 
what  saith  Holy  Writ,  "And  the  Lord  said 
unto  her,  Two  nations  are  in  thy  womb, 
and  two  manner  of  people  shall  be  sepa 
rated  from  thy  bowels ; "  and  further  de- 
clareth  the  holy  record,  Rebekah  did  con 
ceive  twins  "and  the  first  came  out  red? 
So  she  that  was  to  marry  an  Englishman, 
being  herself  one  of  a  strange  people,  was 
to  be  called  Rebecca,  since  she  would  be 
mother  of  two  nations. 

This  done,  my  Lady  and  her  maidens  go 
to  their  vain  work  of  making  clothes,  and 


My  Lady  Pokahontas 

ne  gabbu  what  not,  for  the  day  when  she  would  wed. 
Oft  I  go  by  the  window  and  see  'em  sitting 
within  and  gabbling,  now  this,  now  that ; 
would  this  ruffle  look  best,  or  this  ribband, 
what  think  you  ?  Jibber-jabber,  click-clack  ! 
—  never  was  such  clatter  of  tongues  !  For 
these  farthingales  must  talk ;  else  for  want 
of  it  they  die  (I  think).  And  they  talk 
so  they  deafen  me,  and  I  go  by  quick  not 
to  hear  'em.  Not  my  Lady  ;  she  talks  but 
little,  and  seemeth  to  care  nought  for  all 
the  finery.  Her  face  is  sorrowful,  and  oft 
she  sitteth  with  her  needle  in  her  hand, 
looking  far  away,  as  one  that  listens  to 
other  things  than  click-clack.  But  I  go 
not  near  her  and  she  cometh  not  near  me, 
seeming  to  shun  me  as  I  would  her. 

So  passeth  the  April  days,  and  the  flow 
ers  are  blooming  now,  and  I  think,  she  will 
have  some  to  deck  the  church  the  day  she 
marrieth.  'Twill  be,  sure,  a  merry  wed 
ding  !  All  look  to  it  as  a  joyous  festival 
wherein  two  hearts  will  be  joined  together 
in  holy  matrimony,  and  so  be  one,  —  till 
they  get  to  scratching !  One  only  seem 
eth  not  to  look  forward  thus,  a  certain  sour 
Anas  Todkill.  Now  and  again  when  he 
meeteth  Master  Rolfe  he  can  do  no  less 
than  scowl  at  him ;  and  when  this  same 


My  Lady  Pokahontas 

Master  Rolfe  goeth  to  visit  the  Lady  Po-  /  take 
kahontas,  and  I  see  her  blush  and  look  at  *?$/ 
him    softly    (through    the   window   which 
they  had  best  shut),  I  go  off  growling. 

So  as  the  day  is  near  I  take  a  fancy,  I 
know  not  how,  and  one  day  set  out  and 
come  to  the  Place  of  Retreat  on  Ware 
Ridge,  where  I  went  with  my  Captain  that 
day.  It  is  near  evening  when  I  get  there 
through  the  spring  woods,  and  I  go  up 
the  steep  path  near  overgrown  with  laurel 
bushes  till  I  reach  the  ruinous  Fort,  where 
on  the  slant  sun  is  now  shining.  Why  I 
come  hither,  I  say,  I  know  not ;  for  want  of 
other  to  do,  it  may  be,  and  to  see  if  I  can 
not  once  more  catch  sight  here  of  him  who 
is  here  no  longer  now,  being  a  dead  man. 

Instead  of  Smith  I  see  one  other,  my 
Lady  Pokahontas.  She  is  seated  on  the 
very  brown  stone  where  she  sat  by  Smith, 
and  crying. 

I  stop  in  the  edge  of  the  laurel  thicket, 
thinking  I  see  a  spirit.  Sure  the  Lady 
Pokahontas  is  yonder  at  Jamestown,  in 
the  midst  of  the  click-clack  (I  say  with  a 
shuddering  voice),  and  this  is  her  ghost. 
But  the  ghost  looks  up  at  the  sound  of 
crackling  twigs  and  would  fly,  but  sudden 
stops. 


1 34  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

"  Oh,  Anas  !  Is  it  thou  ?  "  she  cries. 
"  What  brought  thee  hither  ? " 

With  which  she  covers  her  face  with 
both  hands  and  begins  to  weep.  I  look  at 
her  for  a  time,  feeling  a  great  war  in  my 
thoughts  ;  but  she  continueth  to  sob,  and 
that  sound  smites  me  with  a  great  pity, 
and  compassion,  and  love,  so  that  I  haste 
to  her  and  draw  away  her  hands. 

"  Let  me  !  let  me  !  "  she  faltereth.  "  It 
is  for  him  that  is  dead  !  He  was  here, 
thou  dost  remember.  Would  I  too  were 
dead ! " 

Could  I  scoff  ?  Anas  Todkill  had  never 
more  thought  well  of  himself  had  he  done 
so. 

"  Quiet  thee,"  I  say  low ;  "  I  remember 
well,  and  thou  too  dost  remember  ! " 

"  Can  I  forget  him  ? "  she  says.  And 
then  bursts  forth  all  about  him,  and  how 
she  loved  him  more  than  all  the  world ; 
and  last,  would  not  marry  Master  Rolfe, 
no  she  would  never ! 

Then  cometh  a  hard  thing  for  Anas 
Todkill  to  do.  Was  1  to  commend  her  for 
this,  or  say,  No,  thou  must  not  break  faith  ? 
Sure  this  were  a  vile  sin  now  to  counsel 
this  poor  maid  to  show  faith  by  unfaith  ; 
and,  remaining  faithful  to  the  dead,  be 


My  Lady  Pokahontas 

faithless  by  breaking  faith  with  the  living,  she  win  not, 
This  comes  in  my  mind,  and  I  say,  Steady  wu£* 
Anas  !     Then  to  her  :  — 

"  Thou  must  ma-rry  Master  Rolfe,"  I  say, 
with  a  throb  at  the  heart. 

Thereat  she  looketh  at  me  quick  and 
saith :  — 

"  I  will  not !  Must  I  ?  No,  never  !  How 
could  I  ?  And  yet  —  yea,  I  should  break 
faith." 

"Thou  must  keep  thy  faith,"  I  say, 
"  whatever  betide ;  it  is  I  that  counsel 
thee." 

"  Dost  thou  ? "  she  says  weeping ;  "  must 
I?" 

"Yes,  thou  must." 

"  Why  look  at  me  as  thou  hast  looked  of 
late,  then  ?  "  (There  was  a  shot  for  thee, 
Anas !)  "  But  now  thou  art  my  truest 
friend.  See,  I  listen  ;  must  I  ? " 

"  We  will  talk  of  that,"  I  say  as  we  go 
back.  "  How  didst  thou  come  hither  ?  " 

I  take  my  Lady's  hand  and  draw  her  from 
the  place,  for  the  sun  is  now  near  setting ; 
she  telling  me  't  is  but  a  little  way  for  a 
wildwood  maid  like  herself,  and  she  stole 
off  and  came  alone. 

So  we  go  back  through  the  sunset  and 
the  night  to  Jamestown,  whereof  we  see 


My  Lady  Pokdbontas 

My  promise,  the  lights  shining  now  through  the  woods 
and  on  the  water. 

"  Must  I  ? "  she  says  a  last  time,  stop 
ping  ere  she  reach  the  Fort. 
"Yes,"  I  say. 

"  And  thou  —  wilt  thou  still  speak  to  me, 
and  love  me,  and  live  with  me,  nay  in  my 
very  house  ?  Promise,  Anas  !  then  I  will 
obey  thee." 

She  holds  my  hand  and  looks  in  my 
face,  smiling  through  tears,  and  I  bend 
down  and  kiss  the  little  brown  hand. 

"  I  will  live  with  thee  and  be  thy  hench 
man  till  I  die,"  I  say.     "  It  is  little  to  prom 
ise  thee,  since   twice   I  owed  my  life 
to   thee."      So  then   we  pass  by 
the  Fort  and  cry,  "  Friends !  " 
to  the  guard  that  chal- 
lengeth,    and    my 
Lady  is  home. 


^SX.  ^5\4.  -^S^,  </5X.  ^/sJX. 


XX. 

My  Lady  leanetb  on  a  Tree  and  weepeth. 

NOW  the  wedding  of  Master  Rolfe  and  TJ,e  wed. 
the  Lady  Pokahontas  is  over  quick.  dmg' 
It  takes  place  in  the  church  at  Jamestown 
two  days   after  this  talk  in   the  woods  of 
Ware. 

Never  saw  I  gayer  sight.  The  cedar 
pews  were  wreathed  with  flowers,  for  this 
Virginia  land  hath  divers  in  April,  —  what 
we  call  the  old  field  daisy  and  other.  Sure 
the  flowers  were  sweet  and  heartsome, 
though  I  approve  not  this  vain  popish 
fashion  of  decking  the  sanctuary  with 
such  ;  and  a  great  crowd  filled  the  church, 
(whereof  the  bells  in  the  west  tower  were 
ringing),  pushing  into  the  cedar  pews 
quite  up  to  the  chancel  and  walnut  com 
munion  table.  I  well  remember  me  the 
strange  sight  of  buff  jerkins  and  gold-laced 
doublets  rubbing  dusky,  naked  shoulders  of 
Indian  chiefs,  with  feathers  on  heads,  bow 
in  hand.  Many  heathen  had  come  to  see 
their  Lady  Pokahontas  wed  the  white  face  ; 


i}8  My  Lady  Pokakontas 

opacbisco  and  the  bride  marches  up  the  aisle  with 
Taaugh.al1  Master  Rolfe  and  her  old  uncle  Opachisco, 
a  conjurer  with  a  wondrous  wrinkled  face, 
and  behind  these  advanceth,  with  his  head 
up  like  a  young  deer  of  the  forest,  the 
lady's  best  beloved  brother  Nantaquaus. 

My  Lady  Pokahontas  weareth  a  white 
robe  with  down  thereon,  and  a  long  white 
veil  falling  on  her  shoulders.  Her  face  of 
a  light  brown,  most  like  a  Spanish  maid 
en's,  was  all  tears  and  blushes  ;  and  for  all 
the  gay  scene  there  was  a  hid  sorrow  in 
her  eyes.  So  Master  Rolfe,  with  some 
show  of  bravery  in  his  grave  apparel,  takes 
his  place  on  her  right  hand  ;  and  you  may 
see  from  his  face  that  all  his  passion  of 
doubt  hath  left  him  !  that  he  thinketh  no 
more  of  the  sin  of  marrying  strange  wives  ; 
but  is  blithe  and  glad  now.  He  was  near 
laughing,  I  think,  for  joy  ;  and  sudden  a 
great  loud  laugh  greeteth  what  happens  in 
the  church. 

Good  Master  Whitaker,  of  the  Rock 
Hall  parish  at  Varina,  performeth  the  cere 
mony,  in  his  surplice  and  bands,  with  rev 
erent  face  above  ;  and  when  he  says  Who 
giveth  this  woman  ?  sudden  wrinkled  old 
Opachisco  shoves  the  bride  forward  so  she 
near  falls  on  the  chancel,  and  says  some- 


My  Lady  Pokahontas 

what  in    his    outlandish  tongue ;   whereat  Hawaii 
all  burst  out  laughing. 

So  the  two  are  man  and  wife,  and  Nan- 
taquaus  comes  up  and  puts  both  his  arms 
round  my  Lady  and  she  around  him,  and 
they  mouth  and  babble,  and  I  see  more 
tears  in  her  eyes.  Then  the  bells  ring 
once  more,  and  the  people  talk  and  shake 
hands  and  go  about  their  business. 

Of  that  day  I  recall  no  more,  being  in 
no  good  humour,  and  soon  home,  till  even 
ing  when  something  happens. 

I  go  out  in  a  boat  on  the  James  River 
as  though  to  fish,  but  in  sooth  to  be  by 
myself  and  think  of  this  wondrous  busi 
ness.  I  stay  there  till  nigh  sunset,  when 
I  paddle  in,  and  coming  round  a  bend  of 
trees,  sudden  I  see  my  Lady,  leaning  against 
that  tree  Smith  leaned  on  that  day  when  I 
saw  them  together. 

She  is  lying  against  it  and  weeping,  with 
her  robe  over  her  face.  She  seeth  me  not 
and  I  would  not  have  her ;  so  I  come 
ashore  and  tie  my  boat  and  go  back  soft 
to  the  palisade,  thinking  my  thoughts. 


XXI. 

Of  the  City  of  Henricus  and  my  Lady's  Little 
Dwell  that  was  made  a  Christian. 

The  dead  "NT  OW  see  how  this  strange  business 
1  ^1  cometh  to  an  end  at  lasts  She  who 
marries  one  is  yet  in  love  with  another,  who 
is  dead,  or  thought  to  be,  which  were  the 
same.  Women  (and  men  too)  will  still  do 
that,  and  sure  I  think  Master  Will  Shake 
speare  might  have  writ  a  drama  on  this 
theme.  He  writ  his  "  Tempest  "  instead, 
which  is  sure  a  wondrous  picture  ;  but  this 
were  greater.  For  (once  more)  she  that 
thus  marrieth  one,  loveth  another  with  all 
her  heart ;  only  she  consoleth  herself  by 
saying  low,  "  My  true  love  is  dead." 

Natheless  fate  is  strong  and  the  years 
be  hard  masters.  He  that  is  dead,  though 
he  be  not  forgot,  is  no  longer  here  ;  so  my 
Lady  goeth  weeping  to  her  bridal  and  is 
now  Mistress  Rolfe. 

I  say  not  she  continueth  to  weep.  She 
is  young  yet ;  and  that  blessed  youth  is  like 
the  sap  of  a  tree  which  will  push  strong  to 


My  Lady  Pohahontas  141 

cover  up  a  gash  in  the  trunk,  be  it  never  The  city  of 
so  deep.  My  Lady  gets  back  her  smiles 
now,  and  ere  long  she  findeth  somewhat 
more  to  think  of  than  dead  loves,  in  two 
little  black  eyes  that  stare  at  her,  while  a 
red  mouth  babbles. 

This  not  at  Jamestown,  but  at  Master 
Rolfe  his  plantation,  called  Farmingdell, 
not  far  from  the  City  of  Henricus,  on  the 
upper  waters  of  the  James  River.  Now  a 
word,  ere  I  pass  to  other  matters,  of  this 
famous  city  of  Henricus  at  Varina,  —  so 
named  after  his  Highness  the  noble  Prince 
Henry,  who  ere  long  dieth,  —  whereof  the 
founder  was  Sir  Thomas  Dale,  the  High 
Marshal  of  Virginia.  Though  this  true  re 
lation  of  my  Lady  Pokahontas  be  writ  for 
that  great  dame's  honour,  and  most  I  would 
speak  of  her,  yet  somewhat  too  of  things 
in  the  first  Virginia  days  ;  which  in  years 
to  come  may  be  read  by  Virginia  people 
with  some  little  interest  (perchance). 

For  when  my  Lord  la  Ware  sends  out  his 
Lieutenant  Governor,  Sir  Thomas  Gates, 
in  the  year  1611,  the  High  Marshal  his 
hands  are  free,  and  with  some  three  hun 
dred  men  he  goes  up  James  River  and 
founds  this  City  of  Henricus  at  Varina. 
Arrohattox  is  the  name  of  the  country 


142  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

Hope-in-  there,  being  one  of  the  five  domains  which 
descended  to  the  Emperor  Powhatan  from 
his  ancestors ;  and  never  saw  you  so 
strange  a  sight  as  the  river  is  there.  It 
runneth  this  way  and  that,  most  like  a 
great  snake  wriggling  as  he  dieth  ;  and 
where  the  city  was  built  is  in  a  peninsula, 
where  the  river  maketh  a  great  loop;  so 
that,  after  some  seven  miles,  it  cometh 
back  to  one  hundred  yards  of  the  same 
place.  This  narrow  neck  is  a  defence 
against  Indians,  and  is  called  the  "  Dutch 
Gap,"  —  for  by  order  of  Sir  Thomas  his 
Dutch  people  begin  to  dig  a  channel  there 
to  let  the  river  through,  but  stop  the  work. 
Now  the  city  is  soon  built  on  the 
plateau  inside,  with  three  streets,  a  fair 
church,  and  a  palisade  across  the  narrow 
neck  ;  also  one  two  miles  long  from  river 
to  river  outside  in  the  main.*  On  the 
south  bank  is  another  palisade,  which  in- 
closeth  a  great  tract,  and  Forts  Charity  and 
Patience,  Hope -in -Faith  and  Mount  Mi- 
lado  ;  also  Rock  Hall,  Master  Whitaker's 
parsonage.  And  now  if  you  ask  me  why 
Hope-in-Faith,  which  be  a  Puritan  name, 
I  answer  't  was  I  that  named  it,  and  Sir 
Thomas  Dale  saith  :  — 

*  The  main  land. 


My  Lady  Pokdhontas  143 

"Content !  Thou  shalt  call  it  such,  Mas-  / am  to  be 

A  ,-r-,,  .  welcome. 

ter  Anas !  Thou  wert  once  a  conspira 
tor  and  nigh  I  would  bore  thy  tongue, 
but  thou  art  a  true  man  now,  Heaven  be 
thanked." 

But  to  tell  of  my  Lady,  and  how  I  came 
to  live  with  her  here.  Whenas  Master 
Rolfe  would  go  from  Jamestown  to  this 
plantation  called  Farmingdell,  near  Hen- 
ricus,  he  saith  to  me,  looking  grave  and 
friendly  :  — 

"  Hast  thou  not  promised  some  one 
something,  Master  Todkill  ?  " 

"  Doubtless  men  promise  many  things, 
Master  Rolfe,"  I  say,  making  show  I  un 
derstand  not. 

"What  thou  hast  promised,  good  Anas, 
is  to  live  with  my  Lady,"  he  says ;  "  and 
now  as  a  worthy  man  thou  must  keep  it. 
If  thou  come  to  my  home  thou  shalt  be 
welcome  as  my  Lady's  old  and  true  friend, 
and  perchance  thou  might  write  somewhat 
for  me,  since  Sir  Thomas  would  have  me 
for  Secretary  of  the  Colony." 

This  pleases  me  much ;  but  I  would  not 
say  yes,  all  of  a  sudden,  lest  my  grum  looks 
at  this  happy  couple  (thinking  of  Smith) 
make  me  unwelcome.  But  a  voice  comes 
behind  me  while  I  ponder  so  :  — 


144  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

i  go  to  "  Thou  didst  promise  me  !  " 

Farming-  A  T 

deu.  And  I  turn  quick  and  see  my  Lady,  one 

foot  lifted  and  her  face  wet  as  she  looks 
at  me. 

"Thou  didst  say  thou  wouldst!"  she 
murmurs. 

And  there  that  ends.  I  go  to  Farming- 
dell,  and  am  made  much  of  there,  and  have 
a  good  room  which  my  Lady  would  still 
tend  with  her  own  hands,  making  all  things 
neat  when  the  maid  had  gone.  The  house 
is  a  good  house,  with  a  palisade  against 
Indians,  and  Master  Rolfe  hath  rich  low 
grounds  where  he  showeth  me  he  can  raise 
the  wild  weed  tobacco;  for  he  hath  done 
so.*  I  talk  with  him  thereon  and  cry  :  — 

"  Fie  !  wouldst  thou  ?  Why  plant  this 
foul  weed  that  leadeth  only  to  imbecility?" 
But  he  laughs  and  says,  It  is  a  comfort  to 
man,  and  not  forbid  by  Holy  Writ ;  he  him 
self  hath  come  to  love  it,  and  smokes  his 
pipe  while  he  thinks. 

Now  to  speak  no  more  of  tobacco, 
whereof  his  Majesty  King  James  hath  just 
writ  his  "  Counterblast,"  somewhat  happens 

*  This  accords  with  the  statement  in  Hamor's  True  Discourse, 
that  Rolfe  first  domesticated  this  plant,  hitherto  wild,  in  the  year 
1612,  which  was  just  before  Todkill's  coming.  "  Farmingdell  "  was 
just  below  Varina  ;  and  the  region  was  so  called  by  Sir  Thomas  Dale 
from  the  fact  that  the  tobacco  raised  there  was  so  fine  as  to  resemble 
the  sweet-scented  Spanish  Verinas  of  the  West  Indies. 


My  Lady  Pokahontas, 

at   this   house  of  Farmingdell  which  hap-  My 
peneth  oft  elsewhere.     My  Lady  keepeth  c 
her  chamber  a  little  while,  and  then  cometh 
forth  with  a  young  Master  Rolfe,  whom  she 
holdeth  up   to  me,  and   saith  with  bright 
eyes  :  — 

"  Saw  you  ever  such  a  wanton,  Anas  ! " 

Thereat  she  putteth  the  boy  in  my  arms 
and  saith  to  him  :  — 

"  Go  to  thy  best  friend,  child,  who  is  the 
best  friend  of  thy  mother !  " 

And  the  child  hugs  to  me  and  lays  his 
face  against  my  beard  and  is  content  there  ; 
whereupon  I  begin  to  love  him,  and  love 
him  more  and  more  as  the  days  pass. 

I  would  have  him  named  John  Smith  — 
this  Smith  being  (so  to  say)  a  friend  of 
the  family  in  old  years  ;  but  I  say  not  this 
to  any  one,  much  more  to  my  Lady,  for  fear 
her  tears  come.  And  they  say  he  shall  be 
named  Thomas.* 

The  christening  of  Master  Thomas  Rolfe 
was  a  great  merrymaking  at  Varina,  and 

*  The  birthplace  of  Thomas  Rolfe,  the  only  child  of  Pokahontas, 
has  heretofore  been  a  disputed  question.  The  only  record  elsewhere 
is  in  the  General  History,  where  it  is  said :  "  During  this  time  the 
Lady  Rebecca,  alias  Pokahontas,  daughter  to  Powhatan,  by  the  dili 
gent  care  of  Master  lohn  Rolfe,  her  husband,  and  his  friends,  was  well 
instructed  in  Christianity;  she  had  also  by  him  a  child,  which  she 
loved  most  dearly."  Thomas  Rolfe  was  thus  a  Virginian  by  birth, 
and  persons  of  note  descended  from  him,  —  among  others,  John 
Randolph  of  Roanoke. 
10 


146  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

The  Apostu  hugely  delighted  Sir  Thomas,  who  had  his 
"'  home  there,  as  also  Master  Whitaker,  as 
the  first-fruits  of  heathennesse,  and  the 
promise  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  For  this 
Marshal  Dale  was  a  student  of  divinity, 
which  be  rare,  as  I  said,  in  a  martial  man. 
He  and  good  Master  Whitaker,  parson  of 
Rock  Hall  parish,  who  is  called  in  England 
the  u  Apostle  of  Virginia,"  are  close  friends, 
as  is  fit.  For  this  Master  Whitaker  is  a 
true  man,  who  hath  left  his  warm  nest  at 
home  to  come  to  the  new  land  ;  where  soon 
he  writes  his  "  Good  News  from  Virginia," 
wherein  he  crieth,  "  Awake,  you  true  Eng 
lishmen  !  remember  the  Plantation  is  God's 
and  the  reward  your  country's  !  "  * 

Sorrowful  am  I  to  say  that  ere  two 
twelvemonths  have  passed,  this  good  Apos 
tle  of  Virginia,  who  saith  he  will  stay  "  till 
he  be  called  hence/'  is  called  hence  by 
God  ;  he  being  drowned  by  the  upsetting 
of  his  boat,  in  crossing  the  James  River 
'  from  Rock  Hall  to  Henricus. 

As  yet  he  laboureth  and  catechiseth  the 
children,  Indian  and  others,  in  the  new 
school  of  Henricus  ;  certain  axe-men  and 
men-at-arms,  too,  that  would  hear  the 

*  This  pamphlet,  containing  an  earnest  appeal  for  help  to  convert 
the  Indians,  was  published  in  the  very  year  TodkilPs  relation  has 
now  reached —  1613. 


My  Lady  Pokahontas 
blessed  message.    He  is  ever  at  Sir  Thomas  He  christens 

. .    .        the  child. 

Dale  his  house,  and  they  dispute  on  divin 
ity  ;  but  sudden  all  stops  when  Pokahon 
tas  her  child  is  to  be  christened. 

It  is  done  in  Varina  church,  and  Master 
Whitaker,  who  hath  married  my  Lady,  now 
takes  in  his  arms  her  child,  and  sprinkleth 
water  on  him,  whereat  he  laughs  and  bab 
bles  ;  and  then  we  go  out,  while  my  Lady 
holds  him,  and  kisses  him,  looking  at  him 
with  mother's  eyes  that  would  eat  him  ; 
for  in  sooth  she  loveth  him  dearly.  So 
back  to  the  Farmingdell  house,  and  my 
Lady  looks  happy  and  content ;  and  I  must 
fain  hold  the  boy,  and  say  to  him,  as  he 
nestleth  to  me  :  — 

"  Thou  little  Divell  that  art  now  a  Chris 
tian  !  I  wish  thee  well !  " 

Now  my  Lady  stayeth  but  this  time  (yet) 
in  Virginia,  and  I  continue  her  henchman  ; 
and  we  talk  together  much,  oft  of  him 
who  is  gone.  At  such  time  she  looketh  at 
me  with  sad  eyes,  and  then  to  her  husband, 
as  though  to  say,  "  Do  not  thou  think  ill  of 
me  if  I  love  still  a  dead  one  I  once  loved." 
Sure  never  was  more  gracious  creature 
than  this  Lady  Pokahontas  ;  and  to  be  be 
side  her  was  my  chiefest  happiness.  But 
to  write  more  hereof  would  weary ;  and 


148  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

Rawbunt      with  somewhat  more  (not  much)  of  what 
Caliban.       takes  place  in  this  land  of  Virginia,  we  will 
go  back  home  to  England. 

But  first  of  what  maketh  me  laugh 
much,  how  I  see  again  the  Emperor  Pow- 
hatan  and  on  what  business  we  went. 
Since  her  wedding  Master  Rolfe,  he  and 
my  Lady  see  each  the  other  no  more  — 
why,  I  know  not.  He  would  have  it  so,  and 
sendeth  her  word  (they  say)  she  must  now 
live  with  him  she  weddeth,  and  not  come 
back  to  the  woods :  if  he  ever  visiteth  the 
English  (which  he  will  not),  he  will  be  to 
see  her. 

But  they  have  commerce  and  good  will,* 
and  to  and  fro  cometh  the  Emperor's 
henchman,  a  deformed  humpback  they  call 
Rawhunt,  bringing  venison  and  what  not, 
with  the  King's  love  to  his  child.  She 
sendeth  back  what  will  please  him,  as 
beads  and  such  stuff ;  and  writeth  some 
thing  on  willow  bark  in  strange  figures, 
what  I  know  not. 

Scarce  I  think  to  see  the  great  Emperor 
more,  but  that  time  now  cometh,  whereof  I 
will  speak.  But  first,  this  Rawhunt  is  Calir 
ban  in  Master  Shakespeare  his  "  Tempest," 

*  This  is  also  the  statement  of  the  old  historian  Stith,  writing  in 
the  next  century. 


My  Lady  Pokabontas 


149 


as  I  after  know.     From  the  first  he  hath 

come  to  Jamestown,  to  and  back,  and  they 

that  go  to  England  report  of  him,  as  of 

Pokahontas.     Whereof  cometh  knowl 

edge  to  Master  Shakespeare,  who 

useth  all  ;  making  his  strange 

Caliban  of  this  dwarf,  as 

his  Miranda  of  my 

Lady  Pokahon 

tas. 


I  see  the  Em 
peror  for  the 
last  time. 


XXII. 

Of  the  Trick  the  High  Marshal  would  play 
on  the  Emperor,  but  he  would  not. 

BUT  to  speak,  ere  we  go  from  Virginia, 
of  my  last  look  at  the  great  Powhatan. 
Sure  never  was  such  food  for  laughter  as 
on  this  visit  to  the  Emperor.  Even  now, 
long  after,  when  I  think  of  it  I  burst  out 
sudden,  so  that  they  around  me  cry,  "  What 
aileth  thee  ? "  and  I  answer,  "  I  but  be 
think  me  of  old  days  in  the  woods  of  Vir 
ginia,  with  his  highness  the  Emperor  Pow 
hatan." 

It  comes  about  in  this  wise.  I  have 
told  ofttimes  what  manner  of  man  was  the 
builder  of  Henricus  city,  the  mighty  and 
valiant  Sir  Thomas  Dale,  who,  though  none 
exceeded  him  in  divinity  as  in  courage, 
was  a  subtle  master  of  policy  and  would 
gain  good  ends  by  crooked  ways  ;  whereof 
this  showeth. 

Though  the  Indians  were  now  peaceful, 
yet  they  never  were  safe ;  and  the  bruit 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  757 

coming  to  our  ears  that  the  Paspaheghs  We  find  hi, 
and  Nansemunges  were  ill  affected  to-  " 
ward  us,  Sir  Thomas  Dale  bethinks  him  to 
make  sure  of  them  by  this  strange  device  : 
(namely)  Powhatan  was  their  Emperor,  and 
to  have  from  him  a  hostage,  which  Master 
Raphe  Hamor  was  sent  to  get.  This  was 
Powhatan's  young  daughter  Cleopatre,  sis 
ter  of  my  Lady  Pokahontas,  whereof  you 
shall  see  by  this  relation,  and  what  honour 
the  High  Marshal  designed  her. 

I,  Anas  Todkill,  was  one  of  the  party 
sent  to  visit  King  Powhatan;  and  going 
by  the  desert*  we  came  to  Machot,  where 
we  found  the  King  in  his  great  arbour, 
with  a  guard  of  two  hundred  bowmen.  He 
was  seated  on  his  couch  of  mats  with  his 
wives  and  chiefs  about  him,  and  offered 
us  a  pipe  of  tobacco ;  whereafter  he  would 
know  our  errand.  Master  Hamor  then 
riseth  and  saith  :  — 

"  I  come  from  your  Brother  Dale,  and 
would  speak  with  you  in  private." 

At  this  the  King  studied  a  little,  and 
sent  out  all  but  his  two  queens  that  al 
ways  did  sit  by  him,  and  the  interpreter, 

*  In  the  old  relations  this  word  is  used  in  the  sense  of  thicket  or 
•wilderness :  as  the  "desert  of  Pamunkey,"  meaning  the  thick  woods 
wholly  uninhabited.  Machot  was  at  the  present  West  Point  on  the 
York. 


/ 52  My  Lady  Pokdhontas 

Brother  Dau  who  was  that  same  young  Henry  Spilman, 

bis  message.  .  ' 

my  cousin,  saved  from  death  by  dear  Poka- 
hontas. 

"  Now  speak,"  says  the  King  (or  Em 
peror),  "for  I  listen." 

As  he  said  these  words,  he  stretched 
his  legs  out  of  his  raccoon-skin  robe  and 
kicked  a  brand  on  to  the  fire  so  awkward 
that  all  laughed,  but  he  looked  grave. 

Then  Master  Hamor,  looking  at  him, 
says  :  — 

"  Your  Brother  Dale  sends  you  this  cop 
per  and  these  blue  beads,  also  these  two 
knives,  and  will  send  you  also  a  grindstone 
if  you  listen  to  what  he  asks." 

"What  does  Brother  Dale  ask?"  the 
King  says  by  his  interpreter,  viewing  the 
beads  and  the  rest ;  whereat  Master  Ha 
mor  clears  his  throat  and  thus  answers  :  — 

"The  bruit  of  the  exquisite  perfection 
of  your  youngest  daughter,  being  spread 
through  all  your  territories,  hath  come  to 
the  hearing  of  your  Brother  Dale,  who  hath 
sent  me.  He  entreats  you  as  his  brother 
to  permit  this  maiden  to  return  with  me." 

"  Return  !  "  cries  the  King  suddenly  ; 
"why  return?" 

"  For  her  sister's  desire  to  see  her  ;  and 
another  end  still." 


My  Lady  Pokdbontas 

"What  end?"  says  his  Majesty;  "why  He  would 
desireth  Brother  Dale  to  see  my  child  ? "      Emp*r<tr>\ 

"  He  would  gladly  make  her  his  nearest  daugbter' 
companion,  wife,  and  bedfellow." 

But  the  King  would  hardly  hear  Master 
Hamor.  He  moves  about  and  gets  up ; 
now  and  then  he  kicks  brands  on  the  fire ; 
once  he  pulls  his  wife's  ears,  and  then 
sits  down,  muttering.  But  Master  Hamor 
would  not  notice  these  signs  that  his  er 
rand  was  not  to  the  King's  desire. 

"  Hear  me  to  an  end,"  he  says  to  Pow- 
hatan  :  whereat  the  Emperor  leaneth  back 
as  though  asleep. 

"  The  reason  whereof  your  Brother  Dale 
would  make  your  daughter  his  wife  is  to 
rivet  a  natural  union  between  us,  and  ever 
be  friends.  He  himself  means  to  dwell  in 
Virginia  v/hile  he  liveth,  and  would  have 
perpetual  friendship." 

Then  hearing  that  this  is  the  end,  the 
King  rises  and  kicks  at  the  fire,  and  then 
speaks  thus  by  his  interpreter  :  — 

"  I  gladly  accept  Brother  Dale's  salute, 
but  my  daughter  whom  he  desireth  I  sold 
within  these  few  days  past,  to  be  wife  to 
a  great  werowance,  for  two  bushels  of  roa- 
noke  (which  is  their  money),  and  she  is 
gone  three  days'  journey  from  me." 


1  54  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

But  Master  Hamor  would  not  hearken, 


askcth  of  my  ..         .  , 

Lad.          and  said  :  — 


"  Your  greatness  and  power  is  such  that, 
to  gratify  Brother  Dale,  you  might  give  up 
the  roanoke  and  take  back  your  daughter 
from  that  chief.  She  is  not  yet  twelve 
years  old,  and  should  yet  tarry  a  space. 
This  meaneth  your  Brother  Dale,  who  en 
treats  you  to  spare  her." 

But  the  Emperor  shakes  his  head,  for 
getting  his  vain  story  of  the  great  wero- 
wance  (his  daughter  being  there  with 
him). 

"  I  love  my  child  dear  as  my  own  life," 
he  says,  "and  though  I  have  many  chil 
dren,  I  delight  in  none  so  much  as  her. 
If  I  did  not  often  behold  her  I  could  not 
possibly  live  ;  and  if  she  lived  with  you  at 
your  Fort,  you  know  I  could  not  see  her. 
You  have  one  daughter  now  ;  when  she 
dieth  you  shall  have  another  ;  but  she  yet 
liveth.  So  no  more  ;  and  now  to  tell  me 
of  my  daughter  Pokahontas  and  my  un 
known  son.  How  do  they  like,  live,  and 
love  together?" 

Master  Hamor,  in  no  gay  mood  at  being 
disappointed,  says  :  — 

"  Your  daughter  is  so  well  content  that 
she  would  not  change  her  life  to  return 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  755 

and  live  with  you  again,  though  you  be-  r*«  London 

J  &         J  cat  and  Vir- 

SOUght  her.  ginia  kitten. 

Thereat  Powhatan  laughs  heartily,  and 
says :  "I  am  very  glad  of  it : "  and  again 
lies  down  on  his  bed,  now  and  then  laugh 
ing  a  little  at  his  thoughts.  Soon  he  sits 
up  once  more,  as  who  should  say,  Art  thou 
done  now  ?  and  will  not  hearken  any  more, 
but  trifles  the  time,  playing  with  his  blue 
beads.  Last  he  sends  his  Brother  Dale  this 
greeting  :  None  of  his  people  shall  trou 
ble  us ;  and  adds,  proudly :  "  I,  which  have 
power  to  perform  it,  have  said  it." 

So  homeward,  and  ere  long  we  are  back 
at  the  city  of  Henricus,  where  my  Lady 
Pokahontas  listens  to  our  adventure  and 
sighs,  and  I  think  her  old  wood  life  cometh 
back  to  her.  At  what  Master  Hamor  re- 
porteth,  Sir  Thomas  Dale  says,  laughing: 

"  So  be  it ;  I  am  content,  and  perchance 
't  is  better.  I  scarce  could  make  up  this 
matter  of  the  new  wife  with  my  Lady 
Dale !  The  white  cat  in  London  would 
certes  scratch  the  Virginia  kitten." 

And  so  that  trick  of  the  High  Marshal 
comes  to  this  conclusion.* 

*  Todkill's  account  of  this  singular  embassy  is  identical  with  Ha- 
mor's  in  the  work  before  mentioned,  A  True  Discourse  of  the  Es 
tate  of  Virginia.  Lady  Dale,  wife  of  Sir  Thomas,  is  there  men 
tioned  as  then  living. 


XXIII. 

My  Lady  goes  to  England. 
Homeward     "X  T  OW   this    year,    1616,    Sir    Thomas 


N 


Dale,  our  valiant  Governor,  would 
go  back  to  England  and  take  my  Lady  Po- 
kahontas  with  him,  to  show  the  first-fruits 
of  God's  mercy  in  converting  these  poor 
heathen  to  the  knowledge  of  our  blessed 
Saviour. 

My  Lady  goes  willingly,  and  Master 
Rolfe  and  her  boy  with  her,  whereto  Pow- 
hatan  joins  one  of  his  people,  called  Utta- 
matomakkin,  to  count  the  English  with  a 
notched  stick  (which  he  throws  away  after 
a  little  while).  And,  further,  this  savage 
was  to  know  if  Captain  Smith  were  dead ; 
whereof  a  strange  bruit  comes  to  us,  and  so 
to  him,  that  his  old  friend  still  liveth.  But 
they  would  not  tell  my  Lady  Pokahontas. 

So  toward  early  spring  of  the  said  year 
(1616)  we  embark  for  England,  for  I  would 
go  back  with  my  Lady ;  and  soon  we  drop 
down  the  great  river,  and  so  out  of  the 
capes  into  the  wide  ocean.  Certes  I  was 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  757 

sorrowful  at  this  going  away  from  the  Vir-  wt  come  to 
gin  land,  and  stood  quiet  nigh  the  helm, 
looking  where  the  sun  was  setting,  and 
thinking  my  thoughts  of  the  old  days  and 
God's  good  providence,  above  all  in  send 
ing  succour  in  that  woful  Starving  Time. 

"  He  that  shall  but  turn  up  his  eye,"  I 
say,  standing  on  the  ship,  "  and  behold  but 
the  spangled  canopy  of  heaven  above  him, 
must  needs  see  God's  mercy,  and  how  He 
inclineth  all  things  to  the  help  of  them 
that  trust  in  Him." 

Thus  saying  in  a  low  voice  full  of  thanks 
and  praise,  as  I  stood  in  the  dusk  light  on 
the  ship,  I  was  ware  of  some  one  weeping, 
and  turned  and  saw  my  Lady  not  far  from 
me.  She  sits  looking  back  to  Virginia,  her 
face  lying  in  her  hand,  and  her  body  shak 
ing.  Whereat,  thinking  not  to  disturb 
her,  I  go  away  softly,  leaving  her  to  her 
thoughts. 

Now  with  favouring  winds  we  come  to 
Plymouth  in  England,  and  the  bruit  goes 
abroad  that  the  princess  Pokahontas  is  on 
boar.d  the  ship,  and  Sir  Thomas  Stukely, 
the  Company's  man,  comes  and  bows  low 
to  her.*  Then  a  lord  arrives  post  haste 
from  London,  bearing  a  message  from  his 

*  This  person  afterwards  took  charge  of  Pokahontas'  son. 


My  Lady  Pohabontas 

My  Lady 3  Majesty,  who  would  see  my  Lady  Pokahon- 
tas,  and  receive  her  near  him  as  a  royal 
princess,  with  due  honour  to  the  blood 
royal  (though  she  be  a  savage). 

So  we  go  to  London,  and  take  lodging 
at  Brentford,  nigh  the  great  city  and  the 
palace  of  Kew,  whereto  resort  many  of  the 
fine  gentlemen  and  ladies  to  visit  my  prin 
cess  become  a  great  personage.  The  King 
would  have  her  with  him,  and  meets  her 
with  gracious  words,  giving  orders  she 
shall  be  well  placed  at  the  masques,  and 
attended  royally.  Thither  she  went,  and 
to  the  Globe  Theatre  too  (whereof  more 
anon),  and  was  much  liked  of  her  Majesty 
the  Queen,  who  kisses  her  on  both  cheeks 
and  calls  her  "my  child,"  smiling  gra 
ciously.  Master  Rolfe  goes  with  her,  but 
is  not  received  with  such  honours :  no,  not 
so  much  as  with  the  least  favour,  most  of 
all  by  his  Majesty  the  King. 

At  the  first  reception  of  my  Lady,  her 
husband  goes  with  her,  and  his  Majesty 
comes  and  raises  her  when  she  would 
kneel,  looking  at  her  kindly.  But  when 
Master  Rolfe  bends  knee  too  before  him, 
his  royal  face  grows  of  a  sudden  very 
black.  The  King  knits  together  his  eye 
brows  and  says,  grunting  out  his  anger :  — 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  759 

"  Wdlld    yOU  !    WOuld    yOU  !     Who   WOuld  Master  Rolfe 

have  you,  for  a  false  loon,  marry  a  princess,  w«r. 
when  nothing  but  my  subject,  and  never 
say  even  '  By  your  leave '  ! " 

Whereat  he  sudden  turns  his  back  on 
him,  puffing  and  showing  him  other  dis 
courtesy;  and  Master  Rolfe,  much  abashed, 
goes  back  to  the  crowd  and  is  no  more 
seen  that  day.* 

Never  saw  I  such  honour  paid  any  mortal 
as  my  little  Lady.  Sudden  she  grows  the 
fashion,  and  my  Lord  Bishop  of  London 
gives  a  great  entertainment  at  his  palace 
of  Lambeth  to  her  honour  ;  whereof  Mas 
ter  Pepys  is  heard  to  say  't  is  the  finest 
he  has  ever  seen  there.  Ever  to  Brent 
ford  come  fine  coaches  by  day  and  night, 
with  earls  and  ladies,  footmen  and  outrid 
ers,  and  flambeaux  carried  in  front,  to  visit 
my  Lady.  They  all  go  away  praising  her, 
and  saying  they  have  seen  many  English 
ladies  worse  favoured,  proportioned,  and 
behavioured. 

"  Pardie,"  I  hear  my  Lord  la  Ware  say 
to  his  honourable  Lady,  as  they  get  back 
to  their  coach,  "  She  is  a  wonder,  this 
young  princess,  and  't  is  easy  to  see  her 

*  This  displeasure  of  James  I.,  which  is  given  by  Stith,  the  old 
historian,  as  a  "  constant  tradition  "  in  Virginia,  is  thus  verified  by 
Todkill. 


160  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

smith  is  not  blood  be  royal.  She  carrieth  herself  as  the 
daughter  of  a  King !  "  * 

My  Lady  takes  all  quietly,  with  much 
content  and  satisfaction,  but  ever  I  see  on 
her  face  what  brings  back  to  me  the  mem 
ory  of  the  month  of  August  in  her  Vir 
ginia,  when  the  fields  are  bright  at  one 
moment,  but  sudden  a  cloud  shadow  floats 
over,  and  they  are  darkened.  The  bruit 
comes  Smith  is  not  dead,  and  I  remember 
when  she  first  set  eyes  on  him,  though  she 
(then)  had  no  speech  with  him  ;  whereof 
this  further  relation  will  show  the  time  and 
place. 

One  day  comes  a  message  from  the 
Queen's  Majesty  ;  there  will  be  a  Virginia 
play  at  the  Globe  Theatre  :  Master  Shake 
speare's  "  Tempest,"  whereof  the  stage  is 
the  Bermudas  islands,  now  by  charter  f  a 
part  of  Virginia.  Her  Majesty  is  going, 
and  indeed  has  commanded  the  play,  and 
would  have  my  Lady  Pokahontas  be  pres 
ent  too. 

"  Content :  say  to  the  Queen  I  will  at 
tend  her,"  says  my  little  Lady  with  her 
royal  air  (she  speaks  good  English  now 
for  a  long  time).  So  the  lord  that  brings 

*  This  seems  to  have  been  the  general  comment  at  the  time  on  the 
bearing  of  Pokahontas. 
t  The  new  charter  of  1612. 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  161 

the   message   bows   low,   and   goes  away ;  My  Lady's 
and   my  Lady  says,    "  You  must  go  too,  angut 
Anas." 

"  What !  I,  a  good  Puritan,  seek  a  play 
house  !  That  were  a  sin,"  I  say  laughing; 
but  my  Lady  will  not  smile.  She  looks  so 
sorrowful  that  my  heart  bleeds,  and  says 
lowly  :  — 

"  I  would  go  away,  if  only  in  my  heart, 
from  this  London,  and  be  in  Virginia,  if 
but  for  a  poor  hour,  and  forget  myself." 

She  stops  and  muses,  with  her  eyes 
moist,  and  a  sudden  blush. 

"  They  say  he  is  not  dead ! "  she  whis 
pers. 

"  Not  dead  ?  Who  has  told  you  that  ?  " 
I  cry,  knowing  she  meaneth  Smith. 

"  I  have  but  now  learned  the  truth,"  she 
says,  speaking  with  a  great  sob  and  cover 
ing  her  face.  "  O  me  !  why  am  I  not  dead 
—  sith  he  lives  !  " 

Whereat  she  bendeth  down  and  crieth, 
and  I  (lest  I  do  likewise)  go  out  hastily. 
ii 


XXIV. 

/  go  to  the  Globe  Theatre. 

'"POWARD  evening,  nigh  sunset,  comes 
J-  a  coach  sent  by  the  Queen's  Majesty, 
with  four  horses  and  flambeau-bearers,  to 
take  my  Lady  to  the  play.  None  is  in 
the  big  coach,  whereof  the  laced  footman 
bows  low  as  he  bangs  to  the  door,  but  my 
Lady  Pokahontas  and  Master  Rolfe,  with 
myself,  Anas  Todkill. 

Sure  this  was  tempting  Providence,  to 
venture  into  that  abode  of  sin  called  a 
play-house,  which  the  Puritan  hateth  ;  but 
then  this  "  Tempest "  of  Master  Shake 
speare  were  doubtless  a  goodly  spectacle  ! 
and  if  I,  Anas  Todkill,  grow  ever  to  be  a 
preacher  warning  the  brethren  against  sin, 
certes,  knowledge  of  the  Devil's  wiles  and 
how  he  ensnareth  souls  would  be  to  the 
purpose.  So  (in  short)  I  went  to  the  Globe. 

The  play-house  was  even  then  filled,  my 
Lady's  coming  being  no  doubt  known ;  and 
in  the  rooms  around  the  gallery  in  front, 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  163 

over  which  was  a  thatched  roof,  sat  many  Her  Majesty 
noble  lords  and  ladies  in  grand  dresses, 
with  jewels  on  them,  among  the  rest  my 
Lord  Southampton,  the  friend  and  patron 
of  Master  Shakespeare.  Below  these,  in  the 
open  space  which  is  uncovered,  stood  the 
common  sort,  drinking  beer  and  smoking 
tobacco  pipes,  and  ever  taking  these  from 
their  mouths  to  look  up  to  the  gentry  and 
talk  of  them. 

The  stage  in  front  had  two  curtains 
opening  in  the  middle,  and  through  that 
opening  was  seen  the  tapestry  and  the 
raised  balcony  behind,  with  two  private 
rooms  on  either  hand  for  great  people  at 
tending  the  play.  One  of  these  was  fitted 
up  royally  for  her  Majesty,  who  would  at 
tend  on  this  evening :  and  my  Lady  Poka- 
hontas  with  Master  Rolfe  and  myself  were 
shown  to  it. 

Now  the  night  was  near  come,  and  the 
flambeaux  were  lighted  around,  and  at  last 
a  great  stamping  and  shouting  says  the 
Queen  is  here.  She  enters  with  her  at 
tendants  (but  not  his  Majesty) ;  and,  kiss 
ing  my  Lady  on  both  sides  her  face,  bids 
the  players  come  in  and  begin. 

Many,  doubtless,  that  read  this  relation 
have  seen  acted  this  great  play  of  the 


164  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

"  Tempest."  A  decade  before,  the  worthy 
reader  will  remember,  Smith  talked  with 
Master  Shakespeare  thereof  at  the  Mermaid 
Tavern ;  and  now  the  play  was  writ.  That 
talk  of  the  Isles  of  Devils  put  the  Ber 
mudas  in  Master  Shakespeare's  head,*  and 
from  Master  Strachey's  book,  the  "Wrack 
and  Redemption  of  Sir  Thomas  Gates,"  he 
gets  his  story.  See  how  the  English  fleet 
(save  the  Sea-Venture)  gets  safe  to  the 
Chesapeake  Bay ;  and  Shakespeare's  fleet 
(save  the  King's  ship)  to  the  Mediter 
ranean  flote.  Master  Strachey  tells  of  the 
strange  light  that  burned  on  the  masts  and 
yards  of  the  Sea -Venture ;  and  tricksy 
Ariel j  saith  he,  flamed  amazement  on  the 
topmast,  tJie  yards  and  bowsprit ;  and  hid 
the  Kings  ship  in  the  still  vexd  Bermoo- 
thes,  which  the  Spaniard  calleth  our  Ber 
mudas.^ 

Sure  never  was  greater  writer  than  this 
Master  Will  Shakespeare,  who  passeth 
quick  from  that  terrible  Lear  and  the  woes 
of  Hamlet  to  the  merriest  fancies.  No 
sooner  stalketh  by  mournful  Macbeth  than 

*  Todkill  here  forgets  that  before  the  meeting  at  the  Mermaid 
Shakespeare  had  already  been  impressed  by  the  "  still  vex'd  Ber- 
moothes  "  as  a  fit  stage  for  a  weird  drama. 

t  Todkill  here  verifies  an  interesting  fact  —  that  the  wreck  of  the 
Sea-  Venture  suggested  the  Tempest. 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  165 

Touchstone  comes  laughing  :  and  that  mad  The  stage. 
knight  Sir  John  Falstaff  waddles  close  on 
gibing  Richard.  Oft  I  wept,  or  shouted 
with  laughter,  seeing  these  —  but  what 
write  I  ?  There  cometh  the  cat  forth  of  a 
sudden  from  the  bag.  Anas  Todkill  a  fre 
quenter  of  the  play-house  !  But  be  honest 
(I  say),  Anas ;  and  then  thou  wert  away 
from  thy  home,  in  big  London,  and  thy 
bad  exemplar  not  seen ;  when  the  days  to 
preach  of  these  deadly  sins  cometh,  thou 
wilt  know  and  denote  such  truly.* 

Sitting  in  the  room  beside  the  balcony, 
my  Lady  Pokahontas  would  listen  mod 
estly  while  her  Majesty  talked  to  her,  an 
swering  quietly,  with  simple  mien,  as  of  a 
poor  maiden,  but  yet  a  King's  daughter  too. 
The  stage  was  full  of  gallants,  who  would 
sit  on  stools  by  the  side  tapestries,  and 
smoke  tobacco  pipes,  ever  laughing.  When 
the  boys  anon  passed,  dressed  as  women 
(for  there  be  no  true  women  on  our  stage 
in  England),  these  same  gallants  would 
pluck  them  by  the  sleeve,  and  make  as 
though  they  would  steal  kisses  ;  whereat 
my  Lady  would  laugh  a  little,  and  say  she 
marvelled  they  were  so  ill-mannered.  But 

*  This  reflection,  from  its  repetition,  seems  to  have  afforded  much 
comfort  to  Master  Anas  Todkill. 


i66 


My  Lady  Pokahontas 


Mad-caps,  the  maid  of  honour  that  sat  by  her  whis 
pered  "They  were  mad -caps,  and  ever 
would  do  with  herself  the  same,  in  the  very 
Queen's  palace." 


XXV. 

And  meet  again   with   Captain  Smith   and 
Master  Shakespeare. 

NIGHT  had  come  now  a  long  time, 
and  the  flambeaux  were  spouting 
out  smoke,  and  the  crowd  below  was 
shouting  and  moving  to  and  fro,  most  at 
Caliban. 

He  had  a  hump  on  his  back,  and  would 
growl  and  laugh  like  a  dog  barking,  show 
ing  great  tushes  ;  so  that  the  crowd  would 
cry  out  he  was  hag-born,  a  divell — and 
would  Ariel  the  little  sprite  but  play  him 
some  trick. 

My  Lady  looks  most  at  Ariel,  but  sud 
den  listens  when  Caliban  saith  Prospero 
calleth  Miranda  his  Nonpareil.  Thereat 
she  turneth  a  little  white,  and  her  bosom 
under  her  ruff  rises  and  falls  like  two 
waves,  and  she  catcheth  her  breath. 

Why  is  this  (I  say) ;  what  aileth  my  Lady  ? 
But  quick  I  know  that  she  thinketh  of  one 
who  called  her  the  Nonpareil  of  Virginia  — 


1 68  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

she  sees  my  dear  and  noble  Captain,  once  her  love. 
baegaindier  He  would  ever  call  her  such,  saying  the 
whole  world  had  not  her  like ;  and  she 
laughed  one  day  in  Virginia,  and  said  :  — 

"  Then  her  name  was  not  Matoaka  since 
he  had  called  her  Nonparella" 

And  now  the  name  strikes  her  sudden 
and  woful,  as  she  hears  it  in  the  play. 

I  bend  over,  and  looking  close  at  her  say 
in  a  low  voice  :  — 

"  What  would  you  ?  I  know  who  hath 
been  with  Master  Shakespeare,  and  of 
whom  he  hath  been  talking." 

At  that  her  head  droops  down  and  she 
studies  the  floor  for  a  little  while,  growing 
quiet  as  she  museth.  But  a  new  thing  to 
try  my  Lady's  strength  is  to  come.  Across 
the  balcony  of  the  stage  was,  I  said,  a  sec 
ond  private  room,  with  tapestry  in  front, 
facing  the  Queen's.  Up  to  nigh  the  end 
of  the  play  this  room  was  not  open,  and 
the  tapestry  in  its  front  hung  down,  hiding 
the  inner.  Now  this  was  thrust  back,  and 
running  on  a  stick  made  some  noise, 
whereat  I  look  thither,  and  see  in  the 
shadow  Master  Shakespeare  and  Captain 
Smith. 

I  look  sudden  to  my  Lady,  and  see  she  is 
looking  too.  She  is  white  as  her  smock, 


My  Lady  Pokdhontas  169 

and  trembles  a  little,  with  her  eyes  fixed  He  sees  her 
on  Smith.     Sudden  she  puts  her  hand  on  to 
my  arm  and  whispers  faint  :  — 

"  He  is  not  dead,  you  see ;  it  was  a  lie 
they  told !  He  is  not  dead !  he  is  not 
dead ! " 

"  It  is  he  himself  and  no  other  "  (these 
words  I  could  only  say  in  a  voice  well  nigh 
stifled) ;  "  and  look  !  he  sees  you.  Certes 
he  comes  to-night  to  see  two  Nonparellas 
at  the  play." 

Smith  was  nigh  lost  in  the  shadow  of  the 
tapestry,  but  I  could  see  his  face.  He  was 
no  older  to  my  eyes,  for  men  like  this  are 
always  young,  methinks.  The  broad  fore 
head  showed  some  care,  but  the  eyes  were 
clear,  and  the  long  mustachios  that  he 
ever  wore  could  not  hide  the  frank  mouth 
whereon  was  writ  his  nature.  He  was  look 
ing  at  my  Lady  Pokahontas  with  a  long, 
still  gaze,  and  then  I  knew  he  had  heard 
she  was  coming,  and  had  come  himself  to 
see  her.  Sudden  I  rose  up. 

"  You  would  go  see  him  ? "  my  Lady 
says  in  a  whisper. 

"  Certes  ;  my  heart  beats  at  very  sight 
of  him." 

"  And  mine,"  she  says  shaking.  "  Tell 
him  —  no,  tell  him  nothing  !  " 


ijo  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

igo  quick  to  And  with  a  great  sob  she  turns  away 
and  leans  back  in  shadow. 

I  go  out  and  meet  a  play-man,  who  tells 
me  how  I  may  come  to  the  room  where 
Smith  is.  I  near  stumbled  down  a  trap 
wherefrom  rises  the  ghost  of  Hamlet  and 
such  other  unearthly  shapes,  and  got  to 
the  room  and  went  in.  Smith  was  leaning 
to  one  side  in  the  shadow  of  the  curtain, 
but  Master  Shakespeare  sate  erect,  smiling 
courteously  as  friends  saluted  him  from 
the  theatre  below. 

I  touched  Smith  on  the  shoulder,  and 
turning  round  he  says,  low  :  — 

"  Is  it  thou,  Anas  ?  " 

"  Your  old  soldier  and  henchman ;  yes, 
I  say." 

"None  was  ever  truer,"  he  says,  in  a 
strange,  altered  voice.  "  I  saw  you  yonder, 
and  my  Lady  Rebecca." 

He  spoke  so  coldly  that  I  marvelled,  and 
said  :  — 

"  Why  call  you  her  the  Lady  Rebecca  ? 
That  is  her  name  with  the  court  people, 
but  certes  with  you  she  is  the  blessed  Po- 
kahontas." 

Thereat  he  colours  up  and  groans. 

"  It  is  the  same,"  he  says,  "  since  I  am 
now  naught  to  her.  But  no  more  of  that, 


My  Lady  Pohahontas  iji 

Anas,  —  or  here  at  least ;  this  is  no  place  sweet  win 

.     .  Shakespeare 

for  speech.     I  came  hither  to-night  to  see  once  more. 
her,  having  no  strength  to  meet  her  and 
talk  with  her  ;  but  I  have  writ  the  Queen 
of  her  great  merit  and  how  she  saved  us." 

"  Not  meet  and  talk  with  her  ! "  I  say  ; 
"  not  with  her,  thy  saviour  ? " 

"  My  undoer  !  "  he  saith  groaning.  "  But 
this  hubbub  killeth  speech.  I  know  you 
lodge  at  Brentford,  which  is  not  so  far, 
and,  if  you  please,  we  will  walk  thither 
after  the  play.  Shall  we  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed." 

"  I  will  tell  you  my  mind,  then.  I  am 
going  away  soon,  and  come  but  in  time  to 
get  a  last  look  of  my  Lady  the  Princess.  I 
lodge  at  the  Mermaid,  and  my  friend  Mas 
ter  Shakespeare,  coming  to  London,  meets 
me  there.  This  in  front  of  us  is  he ;  sure 
you  remember  him,  since  you  once  talked 
with  him." 

The  noise  of  the*  theatre  was  such  as 
kept  Master  Shakespeare  from  hearing  us. 
Now  his  name  being  spoken  behind  him 
he  turns  round  quick  and  I  am  face  to  face 
with  him. 

He  is  clad  in  a  slashed  doublet  with 
plain  ruff,  and  shows  some  bravery  :  but 
't  was  not  this  man's  clothes  that  people 


/  72  My  Lady  Pohahontas 

whereof  be  looked  at,  but  his  face.     Never  saw  I  face 
talked  with    SQ  friendlV)  or  smiie  sweeter.     He  wears 

a  mustache,  and  a  pointed  beard  on  his 
chin  (we  now  call  a  royale),  and  is  growing 
bald  ;  but  that  only  better  shows  his  won 
drous  forehead,  that  piled -up  mountain 
whence  he  dug  Macbeth  and  Lear.  Once 
't  was  hard  to  fancy  he  had  ever  a  serious 
thought,  or  cared  for  aught  save  some  gay 
conceit ;  but  I  see  now  what  seemeth  a 
shadow  on  his  face. 

"  Is  it  somewhat  that  hath  troubled  him 
(I  say)  as  the  time  hath  gone  on  ? " 

But  his  old  courtesy  is  unchanged,  and 
his  fine-filed  phrase,  ever  as  he  speaks,  is 
the  same.  He  knows  me  quick,  though 
't  is  more  than  a  decade  since  that  day  at 
the  Mermaid  tavern,  and  shakes  my  hand, 
calling  me  by  name. 

So  I  had  lived  all  these  years  in  Vir 
ginia  ?  (he  saith  smiling.)  Would  he  him 
self  could  have  left  this  England,  which 
bustleth  so,  and  ventured  under  the  west 
wind  to  that  land  of  lands  !  The  Fount  of 
Youth  was  to  be  found  there,  people  said, 
which  he  would  fain  try,  since  he  grow- 
eth  old  and  bald  now !  (he  laugheth  and 
pointeth  to  his  forehead).  Is  yonder  truly 
the  Princess  Pokahontas  ?  he  asks.  His 


My  Lady  Pohdhontas 

friend  Captain  Smith  hath  told  him  how  she  OUT  talk 
once  saved  him,  and  he  hath  figured  her  in  "' 
his  Miranda,  that  is,  One  to  be  wondered  at ; 
as  see  where  Miranda  cries,  "  Beseech  you, 
father  !  Sir,  have  pity ;  I  '11  be  his  surety  ! " 
when  Prospero  would  smite  down  Ferdinand 
as  Powhatan  would  smite  Smith.  This  Fer 
dinand  is  Smith,  he  says  laughing,  though 
a  king's  son ;  and  Caliban  is  a  deformed 
Indian,  one  Rawhunt,  whereof  Smith  hath 
oft  told  him  ;  which  Caliban  saith  in  the 
play  that  Duke  Prospero  calleth  Miranda 
his  "  Nonpareil,"  which  is  what  Captain 
Smith  calleth  the  Lady  Pokahontas. 

With  such  pleasant  talk  Master  Will 
Shakespeare  leaneth  back,  smiling;  and  I 
scarce  believe  that  this  is  really  he  that  writ 
the  terrible-mournful  "Othello,"  "Lear," 
and  "  Hamlet."  He  is  just  the  same  as  other 
people  ;  and  when  Master  Heminge,  one  of 
the  players,  comes  in  to  talk  with  him  of 
printing  his  plays,  he  laughs  and  trifles 
the  time,  saying  't  is  a  small  matter ;  he 
will  think  of  it.  And  when  Master  Hem 
inge  urges  him,  Master  Shakespeare  crieth 
with  mock  earnest :  "  Away  !  life  is  but  a 
shadow ! "  and  that  he  hath  more  important 
business,  which  is  to  go  back  to  Stratford 
and  see  how  grow  certain  calves  of  his  ! 


My  Lady  Pokabontas 

we  say  So  at  last   the  play  ends  ;  and  Master 

farewell.  Shakespeare  gets  up  and  says  Will  we  go 
to  the  Mermaid  tavern,  where  he  lodgeth, 
and  empty  a  cup  of  sack  with  him  ?  Fain 
would  I,  Anas  Todkill,  Puritan  though  I  be, 
go  with  this  writer  of  plays,  had  not  the 
meeting  with  Smith  moved  me  so.  He, 
too,  would  talk  with  me,  so  we  tell  Mas 
ter  Shakespeare  another  time,  whereof  my 
regret  remaineth  still. 

For  't  was  the  last  sight  I  ever  had  of 

that  wonder  of  the  time  and  all  times  (I 

think).     He  was  never  in  London   more. 

On  the  next  day  he  rides,  as  I  hear,  for 

Stratford,  and  the  same  month  dies  of 

a  fever   there.     So  we  lost  him 

that  was  our  delight,  and  all 

England,  nay  the  world, 

holdeth  not  to-day 

his  like. 


XXVI. 

How  Smith  telletb  be  was  not  dead,  and  crieth, 
"  O  Heaven  !  could  she  not  wait?" 

THE  Queen  goes  from  the  theatre  now,  Back  to 
and  ere  long  my  Lady  Pokahontas, 
and  Master  Rolfe  too,  in  their  coach  to 
Brentford.  I  go  not  with  'em,  making  ex 
cuse  to  my  Lady,  who  looks  at  me  with  a 
long  look.  The  flambeaux  light  her  face 
for  but  a  moment,  and  then  she  is  gone. 

With  Smith  I  walk  back  to  Brentford  ; 
and  to-day,  shutting  my  eyes,  I  can  see 
and  hear  all  things  on  this  night,  which 
was  April  and  a  bright  moon  shining. 

We  talk  long,  walking  slow,  and  Smith 
tells  me  all.  He  went  away  from  Virginia 
loving  the  Lady  Pokahontas  with  his  heart 
of  hearts  ("  with  every  drop  of  blood  in 
my  heart,  Anas  ! "  he  crieth  groaning),  and 
thinking  she  loves  him ;  but  now  see  what 
cometh  !  When  he  went  he  was  sore  tor 
mented  by  his  hurt  on  the  boat  coming 
from  the  Falls,  and  needeth  a  chirurgeon  ; 


/7<5  My  Lady  Pokabontas 

smith  tells  but  most  he  went  to  London  to  confound 
his  enemies.  Then  he  would  come  back  to 
Virginia  and  take  Pokahontas  for  his.  But 
ever  (he  said)  his  enemies  fretted  him, 
and  kept  him  fighting  'em  for  his  very 
good  name,  till  he  was  well  nigh  in  despair. 
He  would  not  stay  longer  in  London  then, 
and  sets  out  in  a  ship  for  Virginia  ;  but  off 
the  Azores  is  made  prisoner  by  a  French 
ship  and  carried  to  Rochelle,  when  he  is 
reported  dead  and  scarce  escapes  with  his 
life  to  England.* 

Thereat  I  smite  my  hands  together  and 
cry:  — 

"  This  news  cometh  to  Virginia,  and  the 
Lady  Pokahontas  is  in  despair  !  " 

u  Is  it  so  ? "  he  saith,  with  a  grim  look. 
"  Nay,  this  thing  hight  the  heart  of  a  wo 
man  scarce  hath  time  to  despair,  ere  some 
brave  new  lover  cometh  !  " 

"Thou  art  unjust !  "  I  cry.  "  When  the 
rumour  cometh,  it  well  nigh  breaketh  her 
heart ! " 

"  Is  it  so  ?  "  he  saith  again.  "  Well,  my 
own  near  breaks  when  the  bruit  comes  to 

*  This  was  possibly  the  origin  of  the  rumour  of  Smith's  death.  He 
says  in  the  General  History  that  going  in  a  boat  to  Rochelle  "  the 
Captain  was  drowned  and  half  his  company  the  same  night :  and  ere 
long  many  of  them  that  escaped  drowning  told  me  the  newes  tJiey 
heard  of  my  owfte  death." 


My  Lady  Pohabontas  777 

me  she  is  married  to  Rolfe.     O  Heaven !  His «»/«/ 
could  she  not  wait  ?  " 

"  She  thought  thee  dead." 

"  Or  he  maketh  her  think  it !  " 

"  I  wot  not.  So  far  as  I  know  he  think- 
eth  likewise.  All  in  the  colony  believe  it, 
and  my  Lady  hideth  herself  in  despair.  She 
goes  to  Potomac,  not  to  live  in  the  midst  of 
places  you  and  she  were  together  in,  and 
Argall,  that  hawk,  goes  and  betrays  her ; 
and  when  she  comes  to  Jamestown  it  is 
said  by  all  that  you  are  dead." 

Thereat  he  hangs  his  head,  and,  musing, 
says  in  a  low  voice  :  — 

"  Is  it  even  so  ?  " 

No  more ;  and  I  add  these  words  :  — 

"  Blame  her  not,  worthy  friend  and 
Captain.  Long  she  mourned  for  thee, 
and  would  not  listen  to  this  Master  Rolfe 
or  any  other  :  of  which  thou  shalt  have 
proof." 

Whereat  I  tell  him  all,  and  of  that  last 
meeting  with  her  at  the  Place  of  Retreat. 
He  listens,  silent,  with  his  brows  knit  pit- 
eously  and  his  breast  heaving.  I  see  the 
moonlight  on  his  face,  and  hear  him  groan. 

"  Be  it  so,"  he  saith  at  last ;  "  this  is  the 
end,  Anas." 

So  no  more  of  Pokahontas  then,  save  that 

12 


ij8  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

He  would     he  hath  writ  the  Queen  a  letter  telling  of 

sail  for  New      ,,     , 

England.  all  her  goodness  to  the  Colony  and  him 
self,  and  that  he  will  come  to  see  her  ere 
long,  and  take  his  last  greeting  of  her,  at 
Brentford.  Soon  he  will  sail  for  New  Eng 
land,  and  were  content  to  have  it  his  last 
voyage;  not  to  Virginia,  —  he  will  go  there 
no  more. 

Having  come  thus  far  to  Brentford,  he 

leaves  me  and  goes  back  to  London,  slow, 

in  the   moonlight.     I   stand   looking  after 

him  for  a  long  time,  till  his  form   is   no 

more  seen,  and  then  I  go  home  thinking. 

What  I  think  to  myself  is  this:  "Were  I  to 

talk   with    Master    Shakespeare   and 

tell  him  this  history,  certes  there 

were  matter  in  it  for  a  greater 

play  than  even  his  fine 

'  Tempest ' !  " 


XXVII. 

Of  the  Valiant  Captain  Smith's  Last  Greeting 
with  my  Lady  Pokahontas. 

NOW  to  end  this  true  relation  of  my  smith  comes 
Lady  and  her  soldier,  the  next  day 
Smith  comes  to  Brentford  with  divers  cour 
tiers  and  other  his  acquaintances,  seeking 
to  have  it  believed 't  is  only  a  visit  as  of  any 
one  to  this  married  Princess  (no  longer  his 
love,  but  a  Christian  woman,  having  nought 
to  do  with  that  now). 

He  goes  not  in  at  first  with  my  Lord 
Southampton  and  the  rest,  —  this  South 
ampton  being  the  same  whereto  Master 
Shakespeare  writes  his  famed  sonnets. 
Smith  draws  me  apart  to  the  garden,  and 
says  he  will  show  me  something;  then  the 
rest  being  gone,  he  will  speak  a  little  with 
my  Lady,  and  bid  her  farewell.  We  find 
a  nook,  and  sit  on  a  bench  there,  and  he 
draws  forth  a  paper.  Therewith  he  heaves 
a  great  sigh  and  says  :  — 

"  How  sorrowful  is  this  world,  Anas  ! 
I  thought  to  wed  my  little  Princess,  but 


180  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

His  letter  to  't  is  vain  now,  and  here  is  the  end.     But 

her  Majesty.  .  .   .     ,, 

to  show  you  this. 

And  he  unwraps  his  paper,  writ  in  his 
bold  hand  as  though  with  his  good  sword's 
point. 

"  Hearing  the  Virginia  ship  is  at  Plym 
outh  with  my  Lady  and  her  husband,"  he 
says,  "  I  fell  into  great  amaze  and  wist  not 
what  to  do,  Anas.  But  to  do  duty  is  al 
ways  best,  and  I  write  this  paper  to  her 
Majesty  ;  whereof  hear  these  few  words." 

So  he  reads  in  a  low  voice,  broke  with 
sighs,  this  short  discourse  :  — 

"  Most  admired  Queen,  the  love  I  bear 
my  God,  my  King,  and  country  hath  so  oft 
emboldened  me  in  the  worst   of   extreme 
dangers,  that  my  honesty  doth    constrain 
me   to   present   your  Majesty  this.     That 
some  ten  years  ago,  being  in  Virginia  and 
taken   prisoner   by   Powhatan,   their  chief 
King,  I  received  from  this  great  savage  ex 
ceeding  great  courtesy,  especially  from  his 
son  Nantaquaus,  the  most  manliest,  come- 
liest,  boldest  spirit  I  ever  saw  in  a  savage, 
and  his  sister  Pokahontas,  the  King's  most 
dear  and  well-beloved  daughter,  being  but 
a  child  of  twelve  or  thirteen  years  of  age, 
whose  compassionate,  pitiful   heart  of  my 
desperate  estate  gave  me  much  cause  to 


My  Lady  Pohdhontas  181 

respect  her.    She  hazarded  the  beating  out  //« enemu* 

f    .  .  .  ^   would  ma- 

of  her  own  brains  to  save  mine ;  and  not  ugn  him. 
only  that,  but  so  prevailed  with  her  father 
that   I    was    safely   conducted   to    James 
town." 

Here  he  stops  and  says,  lowly  :  - 

"  Know  you,  Anas,  that  my  enemies 
would  say  this  is  not  true  ?  So  they  hate 
me  for  being  Master  yonder  that  I  am  per 
force  a  brave  liar  !  I  make  up  this  story, 
though  nought  is  here  to  my  own  honour, 
save  it  be  to  a  soldier's  honour  that  a  wo 
man  is  pitiful  to  him." 

"  Your  enemies  say  that  ? "  I  cry  out. 
"  Why  at  Jamestown  we  all  know  it,  and 
my  Lady  tells  it  a  thousand  times,  as  do 
her  wild  train  of  people  who  came  to  the 
Fort  with  her  !  " 

"  That  is  nought !  I  am  a  Gascon,  and 
boast  of  what  I  have  done  !  "  he  says,  his 
voice  sounding  bitter.  "  Natheless,  let  the 
ill  tongues  wag.  She  herself  is  here  to 
speak  now,  and  may  say  if  it  be  not  true." 

"Certes,  that  is  the  end  of  it,  worthy 
Captain,"  I  say. 

"  I  know  not.  The  men  I  lashed  from 
Virginia  would  destroy  my  character,  Anas. 
They  dare  not  face  me,  but  will  skulk, 
and  write  down  that  which  at  length,  in 


182  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

the  after  time,  will  blacken  my  memory. 
Who  knoweth  ?  After  all  my  hazards  in 
that  great  land  of  America,  it  may  be  that 
my  memorial  will  perish  with  me,  since  I  Ve 
writ  nothing."  * 

"  Never  !  "  I  say.  "  Fear  not  that,  thou 
brave  soldier  and  true  heart." 

"  Let  it  be  so.  I  stand  on  mine  own 
feet,  and  my  life  is  my  answer;  now  to 
finish  these  few  words." 

And  he  reads  what  follows  from  the 
paper  writ  to  her  Majesty. 

"  And  this  relief,  most  gracious  Queen, 
was  commonly  brought  us  by  this  Lady 
Pokahontas.  Notwithstanding  all  these 
passages  when  inconstant  fortune  turned 
our  peace  to  war,  this  tender  virgin  would 
still  not  spare  to  dare  to  visit  us,  and  by 
her  our  jars  have  been  oft  appeased  and 
our  wants  still  supplied.  (Thou  knowest 
whether  this  be  true  or  not,  Anas.)  Were 
it  the  policy  of  her  father  thus  to  employ 
her,  or  the  ordinance  of  God  thus  to  make 
her  his  instrument,  or  her  extraordinary 
affection  to  our  nation,  I  know  not ;  but  of 
this  I  am  sure.  When  her  father,  with  the 
utmost  of  his  policy  and  power,  sought  to 

*  At  this  date  Smith  had  published  none  of  his  works  except  his 
short  letter,  A  True  Relation  ;  and  the  extended  narratives  of  the 
General  History,  afterwards,  were  by  others. 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  183 

surprise  me,  having  but  eighteen  with  me,  what  my 
the  dark  night  could  not  affright  her  from  done  for  us. 
coming  through  the  irksome  woods,    and 
with   watered   eyes   gave   me   intelligence 
with  her  best  advice  to  escape  his  fury ; 
which,  had  he  known,  he  had  surely  slain 
her.     (Dost  thou  remember  Anas,  on  York 
River,  at  that  night  supper  ?)  " 

"  Yes,  I  remember,"  I  say  in  answer. 

"  Jamestown  with  her  wild  train  (he  con- 
tinueth  reading)  she  as  freely  frequented 
as  her  father's  habitation  ;  and  during  the 
time  of  two  or  three  years  she,  next  under 
God,  was  still  the  instrument  to  preserve 
this  Colony  from  death,  famine,  and  utter 
confusion,  which  if  in  those  times  had 
once  been  dissolved,  Virginia  might  have 
lain  as  it  was  at  our  first  arrival  to  this 
day." 

"  That  is  God's  truth  ! "  I  say.  "  You  put 
it  in  noble  words,  most  worthy  Captain." 

"Thus,  most  gracious  Lady"  (Smith 
goes  on  reading),  "however  this  might  be 
presented  you  from  a  more  worthy  pen,  it 
cannot  from  a  more  honest  heart.  As  yet 
I  never  begged  anything  of  the  state  or 
any,  and  it  is  my  want  of  ability  and  her 
exceeding  desert ;  your  birth,  means,  and 
authority  ;  her  birth,  virtue,  want,  and  sim- 


184  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

she  is  now  plicity,  doth  make  me  thus  bold  humbly  to 
te£.  beseech  your  Majesty  to  take  this  knowl 
edge  of  the  Lady  Pokahontas ;  and  so  I 
humbly  kiss  your  Majesty's  gracious  hands 
and  rest." 

Therewith  Smith  rolls  up  his  paper, 
which  he  says  is  copied  from  what  he  writ 
the  Queen  when  the  ship  with  my  little 
Lady  comes  to  Plymouth.  I  listen  to  all 
this,  not  marvelling  at  his  quick  thought 
of  her ;  and  see  now,  that  this  letter  brings 
the  Queen  to  knowledge  of  her,  whence  all 
her  gracious  acts  to  my  Lady  and  her  re 
ception  at  Court.  The  man  that  loved  her 
(Smith)  stills  his  poor  beating  heart  that 
she  is  married  to  another  now,  and  does 
that  he  can  for  the  blessed  damozel  that  is 
gone  from  him. 

Now  by  this  time  it  was  nigh  sunset  and 
the  courtiers  were  gone.  Smith  thinks  he 
will  go  too,  and  asks,  what  good  of  speech 
with  her  ?  He  cannot  meet  her  as  in  old 
days  when  she  was  little  Pokahontas. 

"She  is  now  Lady  Rebecca,"  he  says, 
"and  one  of  a  royal  family.  His  Majesty 
calls  her  cousin,  an  4  chides  his  subject 
Master  Rolfe,  I  'm  told,  for  marrying  a  Prin 
cess.  Sure  to  be  again  familiar  to  her 
would  hurt  her  in  her  new  rank,  to  speak 


My  Lady  Pokahontas  185 

nothing  of  her  husband,  who  little  fancies  ney  meet 
(I  think)  old  loves !  " 

These  bitter  words  he  says,  and  heaves 
a  sigh  and  then  is  quiet. 

"It  is  best,"  he  says  lowly.  "What  so 
hard  as  to  thus  meet  her  that  once  was  my 
sweetheart,  and  talk  coldly  to  my  Lady 
Rebecca  ;  I  that  fain  would  clasp  her  close 
and  weep  on  her  bosom  !  So  no  more, 
Anas!  I  will  go  away.  Take  thou  this 
paper  and  show  it  her." 

"Show  it  her  yourself,"  I  say;  "here 
she  is." 

And  indeed  my  little  Lady,  grown  weary 
of  the  Court  people  and  knowing  not  we 
were  in  the  garden,  walks  for  rest  there 
and  comes  out  suddenly  from  the  bosk 
and  sees  us.  Smith  rises  up  quick  and 
stands  facing  her  in  a  great  tremble.  She 
is  shaking  too  and  comes  on  slow  toward 
him,  looking  at  him.  Sudden  she  covers 
her  face  with  her  hands,  and  I  see  the 
tears  stealing  through  her  fingers.  Smith 
goes  to  her  and  bows  low,  calling  her  my 
Lady  Rebecca  ;  but  thereat  she  cries  :  — 

"No!  no!  call  me  not  that,  but  what 
thou  calledst  me  in  Virginia  !  " 

Thereat  Smith  turns  a  little  white  and 
says  in  a  strange  voice :  — 


1 86  My  Lady  Pokahontas 

Their  i^t  "I  owe  my  Lady  too  much  respect.  Sure 
a  married  woman  belongs  to  her  lord,  and 
the  King  hath  forbid  you  to  be  treated 
save  as  a  Princess.  Forget  the  old  times 
and  remember  the  new.  It  were  far 
better  !  " 

He  speaks  deep,  well  nigh  groaning,  but 
she  wrings  her  hands  and  cries  pitifully 
once  more  :  — 

"  No  !  no  !  Thou  didst  call  me  '  child ' 
once.  I  would  be  the  same  still ;  and  if 
1  child,'  then  < father!'  Wouldst  thou  not 
have  that  ?  You  did  promise  Powhatan 
what  was  yours  should  be  his,  and  he  the 
like  to  you.  You  called  him  'father,'  be 
ing  in  his  land  a  stranger  !  " 

Thereat  a  blush  comes  to  her  face  as 
though  thinking,  Were  I  married  to  him 
then  my  father  would  be  his,  and  my  fa 
ther's  child  his  wife  ! 

But  Smith,  drawing  a  long  breath,  shakes 
his  head  and  stands  in  a  sort  of  quaking. 

"The  child  forgot  one  who  loved  her," 
he  says,  speaking  very  low. 

And  she  in  a  voice  yet  lower  :  — 

"  They  did  tell  me  always  you  were  dead, 
and  I  knew  no  other  till  I  came  to  Plym 
outh." 

Whereat  her  face  grows  so  white  that 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  187 

I    think   she   will    faint ;   but    she    stands  And  so  they 
straight  and  looks  at  him  out  of  her  great  par 
black  eyes,  that  are  swimming  in  tears,  as 
though  her  heart  were  breaking. 

Sudden  I,  Anas  Todkill,  remembering 
myself,  go  away  from  these  two  people. 
Lost  in  amaze  I  had  stood  thus  far  scarce 
knowing  I  listened.  Now  I  turn  round 
and  slowly  leave  them,  and  they  walk 
away  each  beside  other ;  and  then  the 
bosk  of  the  wood  taketh  them,  and  they 
are  no  more  seen. 

What  said  they  each  to  other  ?  I  know 
not  nor  would  know.  Sure  the  secrets  of 
these  two  hearts  were  their  own,  and,  as 
't  were,  sacred.  After  an  hour  they  come 
back  slowly,  and  I  can  see  my  Lady  has 
been  weeping.  Smith  is  pale,  and  his  voice 
shakes  as  he  bows  low  and  goes  away; 
and  then  my  Lady  steals  to  her  bower  and 
is  no  more  seen  that  night.  Master  Rolfe 
plays  chuck-farthing  with  a  friend,  asking 
"  Who  's  been  to-day  ?  "  And  I  go  out  in 
the  moon  that  is  shining  and  look  up  to 
my  Lady's  window,  and  say,  "  Write  me 
a  great  drama,  O  worthy  Master  Shake 
speare  !  Thou  dost  sound  the  human  heart 
—  canst  thou  sound  these  two  ?  " 


XXVIII. 

How  my  Lady  Pokahontas  passed  in  Peace. 
My  Lady       TT  is  little  I  have  to  add  now  to  this  true 

wouldreturn  -       .  f  T       i      -r»    i      i 

to  Virginia.  J-  relation  of  my  Lady  Pokahontas.  After 
that  last  greeting  with  him  she  had  once 
loved  she  fell  into  a  great  melancholy  ;  and 
save  for  thoughts  of  her  religion  I  think 
she  had  pined  away  then,  and  so  ended. 
But  her  faith  kept  her  from  despairing, 
and  she  would  talk  always  of  going  back 
to  Virginia.  Her  own  people  were  to  be 
converted,  and  she  would  be  God's  instru 
ment,  —  wherefore  in  the  very  beginning 
of  this  poor  discourse  I  writ  the  words, 
that  the  fabric  of  that  great  business  fell 
in  her  grave. 

Natheless,  always  she  had  it  at  heart, 
in  that  autumn  and  the  winter  that  follow- 
eth ;  seeming  no  more  to  think  of  Smith 
(now  made  by  his  Majesty  Admiral  of  New 
England),  but  dreameth  what  she  may  do, 
as  a  poor  servant  of  the  Lord  Christ. 
Oft  I  hear  her  whisper  "  Virginia !"  as 


My  Lady  Pokabontas  189 

one  musing  in  her  mind  :   and  once  she 
toucheth  me  with  her  small  hand,  and  rais-  as 
ing  her  black  eyes  to  my  face,  saith  low, 
with  faint  smiles  :   "  Come  thou  with  me, 
Anas  ! " 

Certes,  I  had  gone  with  her  on  that  voy 
age  they  made  ready  for  :  but,  sudden  (as 
I  said)  my  little  Lady  set  forth  on  another. 

It  fell  (so  God  willed)  in  the  March 
month  of  the  year  of  our  blessed  Lord 
1617,  at  Gravesend.  My  Lady  had  gone 
thither  to  embark  for  Virginia,  carrying 
the  blessing  of  his  grace  the  Bishop  of 
London  on  her  intent  in  her  own  country. 
But  she  never  was  to  see  the  fair  fields  of 
Virginia  more.  A  fever  takes  her  and  she 
sinks  suddenly,  but  is  resigned  to  God's  will 
and  blesses  his  name.  I  was  close  to  her 
when  she  died,  and  signing  the  people  to 
leave  her  she  whispers  to  me  :  — 

"  You  will  love  my  boy,  Anas,"  she  says, 
in  a  voice  I  scarce  hear  ;  "  and  say  to  some 
one,  thou  knowest  who,  he  must  love  and 
cherish  him  too  for  his  poor  mother." 

Thereat  she  looks  up  and  joins  her  two 
white  hands  together. 

"Blessed  Jesus,  thou  wilt  have  me!" 
she  whispers,  and  comes  a  sudden  still 
ness.  My  Lady  is  ended. 


My  Lady  Pokahontas 

s*eP™ed        She  lies  buried  in  the  chancel  of  the 

parish  church  of  Gravesend,  there  waiting 

the  resurrection,  when   the  secrets  of  all 

hearts  shall  be  known.     This  one  was  so 

white  that  I  think   no  stain   be  there  to 

wash.     But  natheless,  if  there  be,  Christ's 

blood  will  take  it  away ;  since  whether 

a  poor   maid    in   Virginia,   or  a 

royal  princess  in  England,  my 

little    Lady    trusted    in 

Him,  and  passed  in 

peace. 


(Writ  by  Anas  Todkill,  Puritan  and  Pil 
grim,  sometime  her  henchman,  who  commend- 
eth  to  all  good  people  this  True  Relation. 
1618.) 


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